Sheppey United's goal-scoring boss Jack Midson hopes competition for places helps bring the best out of his team.

Left-back Frankie Morgan made his debut on Tuesday night in a 4-0 Kent Senior Cup win over Cray Wanderers and another recent addition, winger Rodney Adamon Eruotor, also started the match.

The Ites were playing 10 men for most of the game against Cray, after they had Alfie Murphy sent off for a challenge on Jacob Lambert - back in the side after playing six-a-side for England.

Midson opened the scoring before Billy Bennett came off the bench to replace Lambert and made it 2-0 after the break. Jefferson Aibangee made it three before the player-boss wrapped things up in the last minute. The Ites face Margate in the next round.

With good options in most areas, Midson hopes his team can be spurred on by the challenge.

He said: “There are two kinds of people, they will either crumble or they will raise their game.

“We obviously want everyone to raise their game and it would be good for the whole squad.

“I am hoping people don’t leave but it happens, unfortunately. I have always had competition in my life and I am trying to recreate it as a manager.

“To have competition is what we need. Not that people have been comfortable but you need that, you need it in all areas.”

Morgan had a great year with Corinthian last season, picking up several awards, and was recently on trial at Margate.

Midson said: “We haven’t been able to rotate that left-back position, or if I wanted to go three at the back I would need the right personnel to play left wing-back. We haven’t had them wing-backs, we have out-and-out wingers who wouldn’t track back as much, he is that person.

“When we do play Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday we can rotate and when you have players like Renford Tenyue coming back [from injury], him, Frankie and Matty Parsons will be fighting it out for that position. Obviously Ren is right-footed so he can cover for Dan Birch if we are rotating the other side.

“That is looking positive, but it comes down to results. We can have all these players, but if we are not getting results and points it is back to the drawing board.”

Sheppey claimed their first league victory of the season last time out as Midson scored the winner against East Grinstead. They had no game at the weekend but are back at home this Saturday against third-placed Whitehawk in Isthmian South East.

With those recent arrivals and a first league win on the board, Midson is satisfied, but is always looking at ways to improve.

“It has been okay,” he said. “It is not my squad, but I am happy with it. We are not a million miles away. We were a bit naive at this level (at the start of the season) and needed that extra bit.

“It wasn’t for the want of trying to make some signings, we were just getting outpriced by clubs. I am happy with the signings we have made, there might be a couple more, but we have a budget and I will have to look at it.”