Margate assistant manager Matt Longhurst looks forward to return of Isle of Thanet Cup at Ramsgate this weekend as he also speaks about signings of forwards

Matt Longhurst is looking forward to the return of an eagerly-awaited fixture as Margate make a short trip this Saturday - but it’s a match he hopes cannot be held next summer.

Gate will aim to regain the Isle of Thanet Cup from Ramsgate after a four-year gap since it was most recently played, with the Rams winning 2-1 last time out.

While still classed as a friendly, silverware will be up for grabs in a fixture that acts as the perfect curtain-raiser ahead of their new Isthmian South East season, which begins at Cray Valley next Saturday.

No.2 Longhurst and Margate boss Coyle have each managed Ramsgate, now led by Ady Pennock, who have overtaken their Thanet rivals as the higher-division club in the past few years.

“It’s a local derby and it’s not been a fixture for the last couple of years,” said Longhurst.

“That brings an extra element to it.

“The supporters are massive rivals. I imagine there will be 2,000 or 3,000 people at their ground.

"They’re in the league above so probably - as much as Margate fans will not want to hear it - they’re the bigger club at the moment.

“In an ideal world, we cannot play the Thanet Cup next year because we are both at the same level. But it’s another 90 minutes to look at certain partnerships and see how far players are away.

“Coyley knows Ady quite well. We both know Ramsgate inside out where we have managed them and Coyley played under me there.

“But there will be a competitive edge. I’m sure they have brought Ady in there to try and get promoted.

“He has left Dartford to go there so I’m sure he will have a bit of a war chest - otherwise he wouldn’t have left a club like Dartford for them!

“I think it will be a good game.”

Gate continued pre-season preparations with last weekend’s