Ebbsfleet United boss Dennis Kutrieb says good result in FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round tie against Slough can restore confidence amid difficult spell in National League

Manager Dennis Kutrieb believes the break for FA Cup action has come at a good time for his Ebbsfleet squad.

The Fleet have won just one of their last eight games - with seven of those played in a three-week period - during a time when key players have been missing through injury.

They entertain National League South Slough in the Fourth Qualifying Round at Stonebridge Road on Saturday.

“I think it’s a good time that we get a break in the league as that’s still the most important thing for me,” said Kutrieb.

“It’s good that we have two weeks to get things right and ready for AFC Fylde (on October 21).

“The FA Cup is always a bonus but it’s good to have a break from the league and maybe it can help us to build some confidence, if we turn up with the right mindset it can be a positive.

“We need to see who we can put in, who needs minutes, but still put a strong XI out because of course we want to win the game.”

While the match is an obvious banana skin for Kutrieb’s men, he’s hoping that the FA Cup can be used in a positive way for his team.

In the previous two campaigns, the Fleet have exited at the First Round and Second Round but that’s meant a disruption to their league programme and both ventures into the competition came at a cost.

They’ve reached the First Round in five of the last six seasons, although they haven’t been as far as the Third Round since 1995/96.

“I don’t want to put too much attention on the FA Cup,” added Kutrieb. “My first aim, and this will never change, is that I always want to try and reach the Third Round. That’s a general aim for me personally but I wouldn’t put an aim on our squad at the moment.

“The FA Cup is always a distraction from the league which can be good but the last two seasons it