The FA Cup draw has thrown up a hotly-anticipated match for Whitstable. Isthmian South East side Sevenoaks have been paired at home to Southern Counties East Premier Division Whitstable as new Oaks boss Marcel Nimani’s first game in charge comes against the club he only left in April.
It will also be just the second game at the helm for new Whitstable manager Jamie Coyle, whose side get their league campaign under way seven days earlier on Saturday, July 27. “It’s always going to be a funny one,” admitted Coyle. “It’s going to be a really good test for us. “Ideally, you want to get a draw against someone from your level or below at any stage in a competition. "But we have put a squad together to try and aspire to be in that league. "It’s going to be a good test and we’re really looking forward to it.” The Extra Preliminary Round tie will also see several players come up against their old clubs with Sevenoaks’ Jordan Perrin and Dan Colmer, now at Whitstable, likely to start between the sticks against the teams where they ended last term.
Coyle, whose team will earn £1,125 in prize money and a home match against Isthmian South Central Leatherhead in the next round if they progress, said: “There’s a few ex-Whitstable players that Marcel has signed. “Testing yourself against a team from a higher league is always exciting. "We will get them watched towards the back-end of pre-season and try to get through to the next round.” The Oystermen’s pre-season preparations are well and truly under way, losing 3-0 at Isthmian South East Margate last weekend. “In spells, we did really well in terms of keeping the ball,” said Coyle. “The scoreline and result doesn’t really show that. “Watching it back, there were some good parts to it