LOOKING AHEAD: Canvey Island face yet another difficult cup tie in the FA Trophy this weekend.

Having been handed tricky ties in the FA Cup and Essex Senior Cup – which Canvey lost to Cheshunt and Braintree Town respectively – the Gulls now welcome Cray Wanderers.

Canvey are sixth in the Isthmian North and Mark Bentley will be looking for his first win at the helm in his third game and in his third different competition since taking charge.

Cray sit top of the Isthmian South East with eight wins from their nine matches so far.

The Kent side have won four of their last five matches and hit seven in their last outing against Faversham Town last Saturday.

Canvey will need to blunt that attack if they are to progress.

MANAGER’S VIEW: “Cray will play football,” said Bentley. “I know the coaching staff over there and their set-up from playing them in recent years. They will take risks so I will set my team up to nullify that. They have only dropped two points all season so we know it will be tough but it is all about us.

“We won’t fear them as they are at the same level. It is down to the boys and managing the game well.

“I have reflected on the defeat to Braintree Town and they did have a very strong team out. It is not nice to lose 4-0 and concede goals in the way we did but I will look at it.

“I wanted to see how we responded in the second half and the character the players showed was a big thing for me. We didn’t throw the towel in.”

TEAM NEWS: Mitch Gilbey and Elliott Warren return. Jordan Cox is a doubt.