Andy Drury takes over as manager of Hythe Town after Darren Beale was sacked by the Southern Counties East Premier Division side earlier this week

Hythe Town have named their new manager - their third of the season.

The club have wasted no time in finding a replacement for outgoing boss Darren Beale with former Margate and Folkestone manager Andy Drury taking charge with immediate effect.

Drury takes over a team sitting rock bottom of the Southern Counties East Premier Division.

A club statement said: “Andy brings a huge amount of experience at this level, having previously managed Folkestone Invicta, and he joins us at a really important moment in the season.

“His main focus is simple and clear: to help steer Hythe Town through the remainder of the campaign and give us the best possible chance of survival.

“The Chairman wants supporters to understand that every decision made over recent seasons has been done with one goal in mind — success for Hythe Town Football Club.

“Both previous managers were appointed with a vision for progress and were backed financially to bring in the players they felt were needed to turn things around.

“Unfortunately, despite those efforts, results on the pitch haven’t been good enough.

“This decision has not been easy, but it has been necessary to protect the future of the club.

“Now is the time for everyone connected with Hythe Town to pull together.

“We ask our supporters to get right behind Andy, the staff, and the players as we head into the final part of the season. The lads are giving everything, and your support from the stands really does matter.”

Former boss Beale lasted just eight games as manager of the club.

He was dismissed following the Cannons’ 7-2 defeat at Snodland on Saturday.

The result left them bottom of the table - eight points from safety with 13 games remaining and battling to avoid successive relegations.

Beale