James Collins expects the pressure to be on Kent rivals Ashford and Whitstable in Faversham’s next two matches.

The Lilywhites play the title-chasing Nuts & Bolts on New Year’s Day before hosting Keith McMahon’s men, who are 16th, two days later in Isthmian South East.

Manager Collins is demanding his troops match their opponents’ hunger as they look to build on a 3-1 derby success over Sittingbourne on Monday.

He explained: “They are two teams that cannot afford to lose. There is not as much pressure on us.

“Ashford have to take three points from that game, really.

"Whitstable have got themselves out of trouble but, when you are down there and lose a game, you are always looking over your shoulder.

"They will probably be looking at going to Faversham and getting at least a point - but no doubt they will go for the win.

“There is not quite as much pressure on us but we still need to match them for work-rate, desire and commitment.”

Collins hopes Faversham can start to improve their away form, starting at Homelands.

He conceded: “Away from home, we need to get a little bit better. We just need to find that little bit of consistency. If we found that, we would probably be in and around the play-offs.

“At the minute, we are a little bit one good performance, one all right performance and one bad performance.

“But it’s difficult because we are not able to keep the same players around at the minute.”

Bola Dawodu struck against one of his old clubs along with Jono Richardson and Eddie Allsopp, who converted a second-half penalty.

It was midfielder Dawodu’s fourth goal in three games and his fifth since rejoining Town from Herne Bay in October.

Collins revealed: “Since we put him into holding midfield, he has got five!

“He has been absolutely tremendous.

"I felt he went off the boil a bit recently and we had a chat about that. But in the last three games, he has been absolutely outstanding.”

Collins was without 10 players in total for the win over Sittingbourne in front a 456-strong crowd at Salters Lane.

He added: “We talk a lot about the injury situation which is really difficult. But I said to the boys that we are 12th in the league and have got the furthest the club has ever gone in the FA Trophy this season.

“We have two lads on trial at pro clubs so, really, I think we are doing all right.

“I think the club is just going to rise and rise in the next few years. So I said to the players ‘If you are going to be here for a few years or only a couple more weeks, just make sure you become a part of it’.

“That win was for the fans, really, who were outstanding.”

Town were initially only going to name one substitute for their game against the Brickies before a late call to under-18s player Freddie Kemp saw him named on the bench.

By the time Kemp had come on the pitch for his senior debut, Benedict Bioletti was already on the field, with fellow youth product James Geddes also coming on for Faversham in the closing stages.