MARK Bentley has questioned his players’ mentality ahead of Canvey Island duel with Felixstowe & Walton United this weekend.

The Gulls head into tomorrow’s Isthmian North contest having suffered a 2-1 defeat at Grays Athletic in midweek despite the hosts playing more than 80 minutes of the Essex Senior Cup fourth round tie with a defender between the sticks following goalkeeper Danny Sambridge’s early red card.

Ashley Miller donned the gloves after Sambridge’s dismissal and, although Tobi Joseph put Canvey ahead, former Gulls striker George Purcell claimed a second half brace to frustrate Bentley.

“You have to question whether the players’ mentality was right for the game and it might sum up how we are at the moment,” said Bentley.

“We went to Grays having picked up two positive results against Tilbury and Heybridge Swifts.

“But it was as though the players possibly saw it as there was not a lot at stake with it only being the Essex Senior Cup.

“However, there was because I wanted to well in the competition and we are not good enough to take our foot off the gas.

“We have to get the game out of our heads by getting the three points against Felixstowe.”

Canvey struggled when welcoming struggling sides to Park Lane last season, with the Gulls dropping a large number of points.

Felixstowe head to south Essex sitting second from bottom in the Isthmian North standings and Bentley has called on his side to show they have improved since last term.

“It’s a massive game for us because we are nowhere near where we want to be,” added Bentley, whose Gulls are 12th in the standings.

“I don’t know what I am going to get from the players in each game because we are so inconsistent.

“We want consistency and we need to get our home form back on track.

“It was not good enough last season and, with 12 teams fighting for a play-off place, we can’t afford to have a similar record if we want to be in the top five come the end of the campaign.”

Bentley is expected to hand a debut to George Woodward after signing the left-back following a stint with Romford.

And Bentley is pleased to have Woodward on board.

“It’s great to have signed George and hopefully he will do well,” admitted Bentley.

“He is a good player and he will fit in with how we like to play.

“George can also play in central midfield, which is an added bonus.”

Max Kent has left Canvey due to work commitments.