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Faversham Town manager Ray Turner says play-off chances rest on going unbeaten

Ray Turner says Faversham need to finish the season unbeaten if they are to complete an exceptional resurrection to reach the play-offs.

Momentum is building at the Shepherd Neame Stadium after six wins in seven and nine games without defeat in Ryman League, Division 1 South and after Tuesday’s 2-1 home win against Whyteleafe they sit 11th, 11 places below the top-five but with games in hand.

Town boss Turner said: “It’s great at the moment. The boys have been fantastic. We were a bit tired on Tuesday night and certainly not at our best but we found a way to win.

Ray Turner Picture: Chris Davey
Ray Turner Picture: Chris Davey

“The only thing we can do is look to extend the unbeaten run, take it into double figures and try to keep it going.

“The thing that doesn’t help is the number of teams between us and the top-five and they are all decent sides.

“A lot of them have got to play each other, though, but I can’t see them all having a bad run.

“I’d like to be able to stay in that group, there is a distinctive top 12, including South Park.

“We managed to beat one of those teams that are our direct rivals emphatically on Saturday (Walton Casuals 5-1). Hopefully, we can do it again.”

Town sneaked into the play-off places on the final day of last season with 14 defeats in their 46 games but Turner says they won’t be able to do that again this term and they can’t afford more than the 11 defeats they have suffered already.

He said: “It would take something truly exceptional for us to break through that barrier – we’d probably have to go unbeaten the rest of the season. We’ll need to be at our best. We crept in with 14 defeats last year, we’d probably not get away with any more this year.”

One of their toughest tests will come on Saturday when they visit title-chasing Dorking, whom they beat in last season’s play-off semi-final.

Turner said: “I’ve got great memories of that night. They tonked us in the league but we got our revenge in the semi-final.

“They are rated for a reason and will want to close that gap to the top but we could not go there in finer spirits. We don’t have anything to lose whereas they probably need to win.”

He added: “I think we can relax and play, there is no real pressure on us. We’re enjoying the run. 2017 has started in style, and hat makes us dangerous to other teams.

“One minute you just can’t seem to get a win from anywhere, the next you feel like you can’t lose.

“On Tuesday we were not playing great and went a goal down but you always felt we would get back and go on to win it.”

Luke Harvey and Josh Stanford are unavailable but could return for Tuesday’s trip to Molesey (7.45pm) while Jordan Casey’s calf will be assessed but Jack Steventon has returned to previous club Sittingbourne.

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