Hythe Town continue fine start with 5-4 FA Cup replay win over Raynes Park Vale but boss Steve Watt says they must earn respect

Steve Watt says Hythe have to earn respect as they gear up for two Kent derbies over the bank holiday weekend.

The Cannons have won their only Isthmian South East game so far, a 2-0 victory at Corinthian on the opening day.

They've also got through two rounds of the FA Cup, including an extraordinary 5-4 preliminary round replay win against Raynes Park Vale last night.

Hythe came from a goal down to lead 2-1 through Johan Caney-Bryan and Lex Allan, but trailed 3-2 before Jason Fregene levelled with a minute of normal time remaining.

Frannie Collin and Caney-Bryan's second put the hosts 5-3 up in extra time, with Raynes Park pulling one back.

The Cannons host Hayes & Yeading in the first qualifying round on September 3.

Boss Watt is happy with the new-look squad he’s put together since returning to the Cannons dugout in the summer but knows nobody is really talking about his side.

The same cannot be said of Hythe’s next two opponents, Sevenoaks and Ramsgate, who are among the title favourites.

Watt’s side host Oaks in their first home league game of the season on Saturday before visiting Rams on Monday (both 3pm).

“I think we’ve probably had one of the hardest starts,” said Watt.

“With the resources Sevenoaks and Ramsgate have, and the players they’ve brought in, they’re favourites to be up there in terms of winning the league, not just making the play-offs.

“It will be a really tough weekend but we can only worry about ourselves, like we always do.

“We’ve got a lot of players who’ve either not been retained by their clubs or who haven’t felt wanted, so we’ve got a point to prove and games like these are a chance to show that.

"We’re underdogs going in both games this weekend.

“I think we’re predicted to finish 16th and