Price: Dixon staying at Rye

Rye manager Price says that although the ballplaying midfielder has signed for Hastings United as well, his allegiance will be to Rye.

Dixon has turned out for Hastings in friendly matches, but was his usual energetic self as Rye began their warm-up games with a 3-1 win at New Romney on Tuesday evening.

The 20-year-old also got on the scoresheet against fairly physical opposition, along with a 35-yarder into the top corner from Scott Ramsay and an Andy Hales header.

Sam Adams looked very sharp in midfield, while Jack Franklin and Phil Rhodes performed well too. Rye used 18 players in all and most of them were on the field for around an hour.

The trip to Woodstock Sports (formerly Norton Sports) tomorrow (Saturday) should provide Rye with a sterner test as the Sittingbourne-based opposition play in the Kent League Premier Division. Kick-off is 3pm.

Josh Pelling will come in after missing the New Romney match, while Duncan McArthur won’t feature due to his persistent back problem but is expected to be back by the second league game (he’s unavailable for the opener).

Jono Richardson and Liam Upton are still in the USA. Callum McDonald, a promising midfielder who had a run in Sidley United’s first team last season as well as playing for Hastings under-18s, featured against New Romney.

Price was planning on speaking to Matt Maclean and was “pretty hopeful” the 21-year-old attacking midfielder who has been turning out for Burgess Hill Town will sign for Rye.

The Rye boss added that further signings - on top of Adams, Sean Kelly and Nathan Russell - are unlikely at this stage. Price said: “I won’t be chasing anybody.”