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Hythe Town host Folkestone Invicta in the Kent Senior Cup semi-finals

The league season may be over, but Hythe Town aren’t finished just yet.

They take on Folkestone at Reachfields in the Kent Senior Cup semi-finals tonight (Wednesday, 7.45pm).

Hythe Town finished the season with a 1-1 draw against East Grinstead Picture: Randolph File
Hythe Town finished the season with a 1-1 draw against East Grinstead Picture: Randolph File

Dartford await the winners in the final, which is likely to be played next season.

After securing Isthmian South East safety, manager James Rogers wants the Cannons to go all the way after getting a squad together for the tie against their Isthmian Premier neighbours.

“We’ve got 14 players and, speaking to Cugs (Folkestone boss Neil Cugley), he’s got 14 as well, so it’s game on,” said Rogers. “I want to win this game.

“We’ve managed to stay up and if we get to a final, that will be a successful season for us.

“The Kent Senior Cup can be a bit of a pain but, saying that, it’s the chance to get to a final, so you might as well go and get it.

“Folkestone missed out on the play-offs in their league, which they’ll be fuming about, and I’m sure they’ll want to win as well. They’re a strong outfit, with decent players, especially in forward areas.

“I’ve said to our players you’re going to play against Folkestone and they’re the standard you need to get to if you want to play at the next level.”

Hythe goalscorer Alex Brown in action against East Grinstead Picture: Randolph File
Hythe goalscorer Alex Brown in action against East Grinstead Picture: Randolph File

Rogers will line up in midfield for Hythe after sitting out the final league game of the season, a 1-1 draw against East Grinstead on Saturday.

Alex Brown scored the second-half equaliser after Max Walsh’s early opener.

“We were poor in the first half,” said Rogers. “We sat off and let them dictate and it annoyed me actually, our mentality in the first half.

“They’ve been told at half-time and we improved a lot in the second half and should have won.

“We were pushing forward and we actually looked like a team who wanted to win, which we didn’t in the first half.

“It looked different watching from the touchline instead of being out there.

“The standard wasn’t great, we had some misplaced passes, we lost the ball too easily and our decision-making on the ball wasn’t good at times but we did improve a lot in the second half.”

Hythe will play Folkestone in the Kent Senior Cup semi-finals tonight Picture: Randolph File
Hythe will play Folkestone in the Kent Senior Cup semi-finals tonight Picture: Randolph File

Stand-in goalkeeper Sam Hignett saved a penalty and he’ll feature against Folkestone before moving to America for a football scholarship.

“He’s been back-up to Henry Newcombe but when he’s played, he’s looked very good,” said Rogers.

“He’s impressed me and he’s got a big future if he goes to America and carries on improving.

“He made KentOnline’s team of the week and he deserved to. He made the penalty save but his all-round game is good, too.

“He comes off his line, his distribution’s good and he’s got good hands.”

Midfielder Jacob Gilbert was named supporters’ player-of-the-year after the East Grinstead game.

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