Hastings and Rye set for action

Tom Gilbert and Bruno Pacheco contest an aerial ball during Hastings United's league win away to Worthing on Saturday. Picture by Terry S. Blackman

Hastings will make the long trip to Margate for a Ryman League Robert Dyas Cup third round tie, while Rye will host Horsham YMCA in Sussex County League Division One.

Hastings manager John Maggs plans to “mix it up a little bit” in terms of his selection, but plans to field “a competitive side” in a competition which ranks at the bottom of the club’s priority list.

Players like Andy Corrigan, Andy Henson and Sam Cruttwell - the 16-year-old who has been impressing lately for Sussex County League Division Two side Little Common - could well feature.

Ryman Division One South leaders Hastings - who impressively dispatched Faversham Town 4-0 in the previous round - will be up against a Margate side which lies ninth in the Premier Division.

Rye, meanwhile, will be eager to start climbing the league table, but they will be in for a tough game against a third-placed Horsham YMCA team which has scored more goals than anybody else in the division.

Despite winning all of their last six matches in the various cup competitions, 13th-placed Rye haven’t won any of their last four in the league. In fact, their last Sussex Division One victory was the 3-1 success at home to Selsey back on Saturday October 12.

Both matches will kick-off at 7.45pm.