HOOPS V RUSTHALL PREVIEW

After their two exciting FA Cup battles with Whitstable Town the Hoops return to league action on Saturday with a home game against Rusthall (3pm).
Derek Hares’ side, who have picked up four points from their opening two league matches, did the “double” over the Rustics last season, winning 4-2 at the Charles Ground in December and 2-0 at Rusthall’s Jockey Farm ground in April.
Those defeats were part of a tough first season in the SCEL Premier Division for the Tunbridge Wells-based club. They finished second from bottom but escaped relegation after the FA decided to relegate only one club, basement outfit Rochester United.
And Rusthall have made a brighter start to the new campaign, winning two of their opening three matches including a 3-0 success over Wick in the FA Cup extra preliminary round last Sunday.
Andrew McKechnie, the Rustics’ joint-manager, said: “We are obviously looking for an improvement on last season and I think we are in a fairly good place. Deal will be a tough game but we will try to play football and take the game to them.”
The Hoops’ first four matches have seen a total of 18 goals while there have been 12 in Rusthall’s opening three games, so a goalless draw seems unlikely on Saturday!