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Faversham boss Ray Turner says only a win will keep their slim play-off hopes alive

Ray Turner would settle for Faversham taking their unlikely Ryman League, Division 1 South promotion challenge to the final day of the season.

From being ‘out of it’ before Christmas, ninth-placed Town are within eight points of the top five, although they only have five games left, the first of which is at seventh-placed Lewes on Saturday (3pm).

On a day when the play-off pack all won, Town kept up the pace with a 3-0 win over East Grinstead last weekend.

Ray Turner
Ray Turner

However, Turner said: “Nothing has really changed, except the teams in front of us have woken up and started to show a bit of form.

“Games are running out but things can change quickly. This is the first weekend for a while when we know for definite that teams above us will be dropping points. It’s up to us to take care of our own business.

“If we can get within three points going into the last day, I’d take that. I don’t think there are enough games left to overhaul teams but we have a good goal difference which closes the gap a bit for us.”

Saturday was a third straight home win and made it 12 unbeaten at Salters Lane but Town have lost three straight on the road.

Turner said: “We have looked good at home, solid and strong. It’s up to us to try and show that away from home too where we have had some problems this year.

“We have tweaked the system in the last couple of games and hopefully we can take that into Saturday.

“Lewes have a lot to play for and it should be a big crowd which makes a big difference to us. I’m sure we are not top of their list to play at this stage of the season. We have to go there and show why that is.”

Turner claimed a draw at the Dripping Pan ‘would be no good’ and added: “If we lose, we’re done.

“If we’re drawing with 10 to go I won’t be bringing any defenders on. We’ll go for it to try and find a way of winning and if that ends with them scoring and us losing because of it, so be it.”

He added: “We have got real competition for places, which might have come a little too late in the season for us but it’s promising.

“We were well and truly out of it before Christmas but we can take a lot of pride in the fact we are still in the conversation. It says a lot about the club, that the players don’t want to relax.

“We are still massive outsiders but it’s good to still even be in the discussion in what is the strongest division for many seasons. We’re not just going to accept ninth.”

Teenage forward Luke Griffiths will not feature for a third straight game to ensure he remains eligible for the under-21s’ cup final, with Josh Stanford set to replace him.

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