Sheppey United take a break from their promising league campaign as they look to progress in the Kent Senior Trophy this weekend.

The Ites face Erith Town at home in the quarter-finals and boss Ernie Batten intends to name a full-strength team.

“It’s full on for us,” said Batten. “It’s the only knockout competition we are left in, it’s a Saturday competition and we need to treat it like a league game.

“We’ve been in a final a couple of times in recent seasons and we want to get there again, it’s a great day out for everyone at the Gallagher Stadium.”

Sheppey claimed a point from their big Southern Counties East League game against Beckenham Town last week and there were joyous scenes at the end, following a last-gasp equaliser.

But Batten saw things that need to be worked on.

He said: “It’s disappointing to have conceded the goals that we did. They had spells but only two or three real efforts on goal and they scored twice. Our keeper didn’t have too much to do.

“We are still trying to improve and to bring one or two players in to help us out, defensive-minded players, perhaps in midfield.

“We have a lot of good forward players but the goals we conceded on Saturday were down to how we play out of possession.

“We have got a lot of forward players and perhaps they don’t react quickly enough to the danger to get tight on people. You can see that with the two goals we conceded against Beckenham.”

Batten admits it’s tough to bring the quality he wants in as his targets are already doing well elsewhere.

He said: “It is very difficult to get the right players in. It does help with the position we are in and if we can offer a good deal that more than helps.

“We are still identifying players who are willing to leave where they are but they might already be at a good club on a good deal.”

Batten hopes to hand one player his debut against Erith Town.

Young midfielder Harry Laing was an unused substitute against Beckenham. He’s joined on a loan deal from League 1 Gillingham, where he is in the second year of his scholarship.

He came on the recommendation of Gills’ youth manager Craig Stone but the Sheppey boss wants to see what he’s working with first.

Batten said: “It was very difficult to throw the lad straight in when we have not seen him, so we’ll have a look and hopefully he can get on against Erith on Saturday.

“He is a midfielder and you never know, he could the the answer to our prayers!

"He’s a young lad, we’ve not seen him, we will look at him in training with a view to getting him some minutes at the weekend.”

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