ROCKS REVIEW: Team can't wait to get back to business

They’ve been unluckier than most with the cold snap, losing away games at Faversham and Chipstead to snow and a home game with Ramsgate to a frozen pitch.

The indications from Kent are that tonight’s game should be okay, and that will be a huge relief to the team, who are already several games behind most of their rivals for promotion to the Ryman premier.

Rocks joint boss Jamie Howell said they’d be relieved and pleased just to be playing again.

“We’ve lost three games in quick succession and the postponements have come when we’ve been in a good run of form,” he said.

“We’d rather be playing because if you have too many games on hand, the pressure builds and they can disappear without you catching up points-wise.

“Whitstable are in the bottom third of the league, but teams in that position can be the hardest to play on their own grounds. They’ll be fighting for everything.

“But we’ve shown we have the quality to win more than we lose this season and I hope we show that again here.”

Pompey teenager Perry Ryan has signed on a month’s loan and will make his debut in the middle of defence in place of ankle-injury victim Stuart Axten.

Michael Birmingham is still getting soreness in his calf and is set to sit out this one, while Phil Turner is back in only light training after a hamstring injury. Dan Royce is out with a virus.

That’s all likely to mean another start for Dan Beck in a central role following his latest return to the club.