Tommy Warrilow hopes Ashford’s bad patch is behind them after their Boxing Day victory over Faversham.

Warrilow fielded his strongest XI this season in a 3-0 victory as the Nuts & Bolts went third in Isthmian South East.

They’d taken five points from their previous six games but ended 2022 in style with goals from Gary Lockyer, Danny Parish and Toby Ajala in front of a crowd of 419 at Homelands.

Defender Ben Gorham marked his return to the club with an outstanding performance, while Tariq Ossai and Johan ter Horst impressed on their first starts after groin and hamstring injuries respectively.

“That’s the strongest we’ve been this season, definitely,” said boss Warrilow. “The bench was strong as well and we’ve still got Vance Bola and Rhyle Ovenden to come back.

“We’re exactly halfway through the season now, so it’s taken us a while where we’ve been chopping and changing players.

“That’s not been through personal choice, it’s been through necessity, with players injured and players leaving.

“And I have always said if something comes up that will improve us, regardless of how many players have already come in, you’ve got to act on that, and I have.

“I’ve just done that with Ben Gorham and I thought he was outstanding. It was like he’d never been away.

“I take nothing for granted, you’ve got to earn your results.

“Everyone goes through a period where it’s not happening, and I’m hoping we’ve gone through ours now.

“Looking at the XI and the bench on Boxing Day, we were very strong and thankfully the performance underlined that but it is only one performance. We have to build on that.

“Never too high with wins, never too low with defeats, but you’ve got to enjoy your wins.

“The last couple of results (defeats by VCD and Lancing) haven’t been nice.

“It’s been horrible, because it drags the aura of the club down, so it’s right you enjoy your wins without going over the top.”

Ossai’s return was an added bonus for Ashford after a lengthy absence due to a mystery groin problem.

Doctors were unable to get to the bottom of it but Ossai felt able to play.

“We’re still none the wiser with Tariq,” said Warrilow.

“Nothing showed up on the scan. In the end I said to him only you can decide, it’s your body.

“To have him back was a big plus. I thought he was outstanding - he showed what a big player he can be.

“We’ve got to make sure we don’t go overboard with him, because that’s his first start in ages, but it didn’t look like he was fatiguing at all.

“Whatever was wrong with him, we’re hoping it’s healed and we’ve got him back.

“We’ve needed cover in the full-back areas.

“Charlie Dickens has gone in there at left-back and been tremendous, but he’s a centre-half, and we’ve got Mamadou Diallo and Bradley Simms, but we needed Tariq back.”

Ashford are set for a reunion with ex-Nuts & Bolts midfielder Josh Wisson when they visit Sheppey on Monday (3pm).

Warrilow’s men trail leaders Ramsgate by seven points having played a game more.