Ray Turner says tightening up at the back will be the deciding factor in whether Faversham return to the play-offs come season’s end.

Only one team - leaders Folkestone - have a better defensive record than Town in Ryman League Division 1 South, yet Turner insists they will need to improve in that regard to seal a top-five place as they find goals hard to come by at the other end.

Town are seventh, a point behind third-placed Guernsey, but only eight sides have scored fewer than their haul of 38 goals in 28 games.

Saturday’s clean-sheet in a 1-0 win at Chatham was their first in nine games and Turner admitted: “I enjoyed seeing us not concede goals. We dominated the game and really the only thing missing was the second or third goal.

“We looked very organised - back to doing the good things we have done in the past. Being defensively tight from here-on is key for us. I don’t think we will get away from too many teams.

“With Jack Harris, Dean Grant and Wayne Wilson all gone this year and Josh Stanford only being here for part of the season, that’s 70 or 80 goals we’ve had taken out of our team.

“It’s a great testament to everyone involved that we are back in the hunt again.”

Turner watched Saturday’s visitors Sittingbourne (3pm) put four past fourth-placed Ramsgate on Monday, but wants to end the run of 11 points from five games which clawed the Brickies out of the relegation zone.

He added: “The 4-0 did flatter them, but they are not a relegation side. It won’t be easy but it would be a big three points if we could get them.

“It’s a crazy table at the moment, nine points from 3rd to 14th, but a few sides like Ramsgate and (fifth-placed) Herne Bay are starting to show signs of vulnerability in the race for the play-offs.

“It’s one thing getting yourself up there but it’s another to sustain it. The table will filter out. You have clubs like Hastings and Hythe, Dorking and Whyteleafe who I expect to come very close, and (second-placed) Worthing are the most settled of all.”

He added: “We could be back in the top four or five on Saturday. This is not the time for losses. We want to build momentum. We can only afford a couple more blips this season.

“We have averaged about two points a game for the last 12 or 13 games and if we can keep that going that should be enough for the play-offs - 80 is the target.”

On Tuesday Faversham host Dorking in the quarter-final of the Ryman League Cup and Turner added: “Once you reach a home-quarter-final, two games from a cup final, your priorities start to change.

“We will be taking it very seriously - I would love to take this group to a final.”