I hope we can get the job done as soon as possible, says Faversham Town boss Ray Turner

The Lilywhites could have lost their place in the top-five had they suffered a defeat at Ryman League Division One South leaders Maidstone United at the weekend.

They took a controversial lead when former Herne Bay striker Luke Harvey scored his sixteenth-goal of the season in the 67^th minute, before The Stones levelled through a Matt Bourne own-goal after the defender turned in Alex Brown’s attempt.

But Danny Hockton produced a quality finish in the final two minutes against one of his former sides to grab the victory for Faversham Town.

Turner’s side climbed up to fourth place in the table with 68 points and Maidstone United boss Jay Saunders admitted his side must settle for second place after Dulwich Hamlet climbed to the summit with a 5-0 win over struggling Walton Casuals.

Faversham Town travel to Crawley Down Gatwick tomorrow, before welcoming Merstham to Salters Lane on Saturday, before completing their campaign with a trip to Leatherhead on 27 April.

Turner wants his side to cement their place in the play-offs.

He said: “Really big game!  We have to take our belief and grow as a team. We can’t stop!  We have to go there and looking for three points.  The quicker we secure a (play-off) place that enables us to reflect and really prepare for the play-offs.

“No-one wants it to go down to the last game of the season, although I’m fully prepared to go to Leatherhead and having to pick up some points.  I hope we can get the job done as soon as possible.”

There are four Kent clubs (Maidstone United, Hythe Town, Faversham Town and Ramsgate) in the play-off zone at the moment, with Folkestone Invicta waiting to pounce if any one slips up in sixth-place.

“It goes to show the strength of the county doesn’t it?” said Turner.

“I think that’s been assisted by the competition in the county and the fact it works two ways. Kent derbies are very difficult games to play in, but I think they also provide a lot of motivation to try and finish as high up the league as possible.

“All those sides and you can put Folkestone in there as well, are all good sides and lets hope we’re playing one of them in the play-offs.”

Turner insists he has experience in the ranks to cope with the pressure that’s approaching.

“There’s a few in there that have dealt with the situation before, but I don’t think we had much anxiety about us on Saturday,” said Turner.

“We played with freedom when we could (at Maidstone) and we were concentrated and that’s all we can do.  There’s a few guys in there with a bit of experience but as a football club I think every time we’ve been knocked or people might be expecting us to fall by the wayside we’ve responded again and that’s the key.  If you show that sort of heart and character then you’ve got every chance of making that top five.

Faversham Town’s win at Maidstone United was their 12^th away league win of the season – they have won seven at Salters Lane.

When asked why his side win more on their travels, Turner replied: “Good question!  I think there’s a few circumstances to some degree that have gone against us at home.  We’ve had three sent-off at home and a few things haven’t fallen our way at home at times.

“We have underperformed and you have to be honest enough to admit that we haven’t been good enough, but on the whole performances recently have been good.

“I don’t think it’s the fact that we’re not playing particularly well at home. It’s just results have not been so good.  Our away record has been unbelievable.”

Visit Faversham Town’s website: www.favershamtownfc.co.uk

Crawley Down Gatwick  v  Faversham Town
Ryman League Division One South
Tuesday 16^th April 2013
Kick Off 7:30pm
at The Haven Sportsfield (Haven Centre), Hophurst Lane, Crawley Down, West Sussex RH10 4LJ