Clive Cook wants Hythe to play with freedom and put in a professional display to avoid an unwanted surprise when rock-bottom Godalming head to Reachfields on Saturday.

Town lost for the third time in five Ryman League, Division 1 South games at Hastings on Saturday and slipped to fifth, with just four points separating third from seventh.

Despite the loss, boss Cook remained upbeat and said: “We played well. We dominated much of the game, even their management team told me we were unlucky not to get anything from the game. We played some lovely stuff.

“I felt like I’d been beaten up and robbed but I was not down about the performance – we were above average. We just had some clear cut chances that we did not take. We should have got something.

“The spirit is tight. If you can take plusses from a loss, then that is definitely one of them.
“At the end of the game, everyone collapsed on the pitch thinking ‘how did we lose that’ – it was like the end of a cup final. I took that as a real positive and it showed me they cared.”

Godalming have lost 25 of 31 games this season and have just nine points but Cook said: “They are trying to stay in the league and it is the sort of game that could potentially be a tricky one.

“We have to go and be professional and hopefully get the three points. We have to show bouncebackability – that seems to be the word.

“If we come unstuck against Godalming, then what’s the point in any of it. I don’t want a surprise.”

The Cannons have scored 14 goals and conceded just twice in their past two home games.

Cook said: “Someone is going to be on the end of a proper roasting at some point with the number of chances we create by playing some excellent football but I’d take a 1-0 and a goal off someone’s backside. I just want the points and then move on.”

Craig Cloke returns on Saturday (3pm) but Ryan Johnson starts a two-game ban.