Herne Bay boss Steve Lovell wants to make the most of being back on their 3G pitch when they face Hythe Town in Isthmian South East

Herne Bay manager Steve Lovell is looking forward to being back on home ground after a forgettable away day.

Bay meet Isthmian South East play-off rivals Hythe on the Winch’s Field 3G on Saturday (3pm).

Lovell is hoping to see a better game than he did at struggling Erith & Belvedere last weekend where the visitors needed an injury-time equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw.

The Deres thought they’d won it after taking the lead in the 88th minute but Gil Carvalho levelled at the death.

“It was an awful game,” said Lovell, whose side remain fifth.

“It wasn’t good. The pitch there doesn’t help.

“There was no real quality in the game and I felt the last couple of minutes was the best part of the game when they got their goal and we got ours. There wasn’t much in it.

“It was always going to take something for someone to score, whether that be a really good strike or a mistake.

“Harry Brooks felt he could have saved it but it was a good strike.

“When they score that late you think that might be it but the boys kept going and managed to nick a goal right at the end.

“It was a point gained in that respect although it never looked like being anything other than a 0-0 draw.

“We didn’t play well and they didn’t play well. It was just one of those games.

“That’s two draws we’ve had against them with nothing much in the game.

“Against the lower sides we tend not to do as well as we do against the top sides.

“We just couldn’t pass it. We’re a good passing side and I think we’re spoilt by our pitch and the way we can play on it.

“We want to play but on Saturday we just couldn’t and we do seem to struggle on grass at times.

“You’ve got to have a Plan B and we changed our shape in the first half just to try and get the ball up the other end.