Steve Watt has been eager to put Faversham Town’s recent dip in form into perspective.

The ambitious Lilywhites, one of the favourites to win the Isthmian South East title this season, secured a 3-0 derby success at Sittingbourne last weekend. It ended a six-game winless streak.

Nevertheless, fourth-placed Town still find themselves firmly in the promotion picture and will look to book a place in the second round of the FA Trophy when they host Isthmian North high-fliers Newmarket Town this weekend.

Faversham have already progressed as far as the club have ever done in the Trophy, equalling the 2021/22 run.

“You can sense a bit of negativity start to creep in, not into the squad, but in and around the place,” said manager Watt. “It’s nice to put that to bed.

“We’re a new side. Just because we have got these players, we haven’t got a divine right to win games. It’s important when you go through sticky spells that the people at the club stick together.

“There’s no questioning the group and their quality. We went through a run of games where we didn’t pick up as many points as we probably should have done, but we’re still in a very decent position.

“If you’re going to have a difficult patch and still be in a play-off place after it, I think a lot of clubs would bite your hand off.”

There will be a further £3,000 in prize money, as well as another little piece of club history, up for grabs when they play Newmarket.

Watt said: “We have already taken the club as far as it’s ever been in this competition.

"We’ll look to go one step further on Saturday. There is a good feeling around the squad, the squad is in a good place.

“We know we could have picked up more points (in recent weeks) but the season isn’t won or lost in October.”

Forward Josh Strouts put Town ahead against the Brickies before midfielder Jack Evans thumped home a second with a free-kick and defender Josh Hare added an injury-time clincher.

“It was a really confident and professional performance,” reflected Watt.

“It was important to get that win - and good to get it against local rivals. We missed three one-on-ones, as well.

“The players really took the game to Sittingbourne and I feel we deserved the three points.”

Strouts and Eniye Amgbaduba made the most of the chance to lead the line together, causing Sittingbourne all kinds of problems.

Watt said: “It’s something we have looked at in terms of getting the combinations right up there. It’s something we have been working hard on, talking to the players.

“They were both outstanding on Saturday and Eniye was outstanding last Tuesday night [at Cray Valley], as well. It was great to see Stroutsy score on Saturday and Eniye got an assist last Tuesday - and scored in the game before that - and they’re giving us a focal point.

“When you have the attacking threat that we do, our players will always get chances and it’s down to them to make sure they take them.”

While both are strong frontmen, Watt sees them as more than just that.

“It’s important you don’t have the same type of striker and I don’t class them as the same type of striker,” said Watt, who saw forward Tashi Jay-Kwayie pull out in the warm-up at Sittingbourne while attacking midfielder Kane Haysman (calf) remains sidelined.

“There’s a lot more to them than being big strikers that are physical. I brought them both on against South Park at half-time and I think they changed the game.

“You can see the partnership is really starting to build. It’s important we build on that and that gives them confidence to play together.

“Once their confidence is high, I think the sky is the limit for them.”

The shut-out at Sittingbourne, meanwhile, was just a second in the league for the Lilywhites.

“At the start of this season, we were looking to get the balance right in the team,” Watt admitted.

“We were scoring at will but conceding goals a bit too easily. We spoke about shutting the back door, if you like, but while still maintaining that attacking threat.

"It certainly seems to have worked.”

Town won 4-2 at Deal on Tuesday. Evans and defender Harry Hudson put them 2-0 ahead before Deal levelled.

But Strouts restored their advantage on the stroke of half-time and Troy Howard added a fourth early in the second period.

Faversham visit Margate on Tuesday.