Chatham Town travel to Little Common in the FA Cup extra preliminary round; Faversham Town could await the winners

A potential Kent derby is an added incentive for Chatham Town as they start their season with an FA Cup qualifying match.

Chats travel to Little Common this Sunday in the extra preliminary round of the competition before their Isthmian League campaign gets under way the following week. Either Chats or Little Common will play the winners of Faversham Town versus Colliers Wood United in the next round.

Kevin Hake’s men hosted Isthmian Premier Margate on Tuesday in their final pre-season match before the real action begins. Goals from Josh Ogunseye and Emmanuel Oloyede completed a 2-0 win.

Looking ahead to the FA Cup, Hake said: “We have had them scouted, they seem like a decent team, but we will go there and give it a best shot.

“The winner plays Faversham away in the next round if we do beat them [and the Lilywhites beat Colliers Wood] and we’re relishing the challenge.”

Chats have a decent-sized squad but have picked up injuries over pre-season. Portuguese playmaker Fabio Saraiva is set to be available after missing a chunk of pre-season with concussion. He started against Margate.

Another new recruit, Isaac Thompson, has been out with a hamstring injury and is a doubt. Striker Andy Pugh was set to see a consultant over a knee issue while Mikey Dalton could miss the weekend with an ankle injury. Defender Dean Beckwith pulled up last week in the friendly against Dartford and hasn’t played since.

“We will be giving it our best shot in the FA Cup,” said the Chats boss, with one eye on their league campaign.

“It is a bit of a funny one having the FA Cup first game of the season and we have geared ourselves up for it.

“I didn’t expect us to be in the extra preliminary but they have drawn us in it so we have to do what we have