Skipper Nikki Bull says Margate’s players know they have ‘totally under performed’ this season but he believes there is still plenty of time for them to put things right.

The Blues were one of the pre-season promotion favourites in Vanarama National League South, but they go to Oxford City on Saturday lying 19th with just two wins from 12 matches.

Bull says he and the players were lifted by Saturday’s 4-1 FA Cup third qualifying round win over Truro City – their first victory in eight attempts at home this season – but he feels there is still room for improvement in all departments.

The keeper, 34, said: “Hopefully (Saturday’s win) will ease a bit of pressure and we can go on and start showing what quality the group really has.

“We’ve got an honest dressing room in there. No-one is shirking it, no-one is not trying but it’s been plain to see that results and performances haven’t been good enough.

“It’s all about building momentum but it’s been nothing to do with luck, nothing to do with the rub of the green, it’s because as a team we’ve not been good enough.

“We all know why we are here and so far this season we haven’t performed anywhere near where we should be.

“There is not one area where we can sit back and say we have reached our potential or anywhere near it.

“It’s a work in progress but we have totally under-performed so far this season and it’s on the players to put it right.”

Bull dedicated the Truro win to recuperating press officer Ryan Day – who has been hospitalised with kidney stones– and he also hailed the positive influence of chairman Bob Laslett, who gave manager Terry Brown and the team his backing before kick-off on Saturday.

Bull revealed: “After training Thursday Terry said Bob would be coming into see us and, as a senior player when it’s happened to me before in the past when people from upstairs have come in it’s not always gone very well, but Bob is a real one-off.

“He came in before the game and was as happy and full of spirit as he was when we won promotion at Hendon (last season). The guy’s had major success in running businesses and knows how to get the best out of people.

“He obviously felt, and he’s been proved right, that it was nice for him to put an arm around us and tell us we were great. Not many people would have done that after the start we’ve had.”