Faversham boss Ray Turner says the club’s presentation evening offers the chance to provide closure after their dramatic end to the season.

After spending months mentally preparing for the Ryman League Division 1 South play-offs, Town were dumped out at the first hurdle, losing the semi-final at home to Merstham on penalties after a stalemate.

Turner said: “The players are hurting a bit. It’s been tough. The players have been reflecting. There’s been a lot of ‘could have, should haves.’

“It’s a strange one when your season finishes in midweek. You say goodbye to the players that night and that’s it. It will be good to see everyone on Saturday.”

Merstham went on to win the final 3-0 at Folkestone on Saturday and Turner – who claimed he couldn’t bring himself to go – added: “The result wasn’t unexpected. You have to feel for Folkestone as they’ve had to endure this four times.

“We can’t assume we’d have won there, but I think it brought home just how close we were. We have not lost to Merstham in three games this season, and we only lost once against Burgess Hill, with a patched up team down there.”

Turner said he does not ‘expect to do much tinkering’ this summer but is preparing to be without Charley Robertson, who returns to Maidstone, Josh Stanford, who is departing for university, and Ashley Brown, overseas until September, when the new season arrives.

He added: “I’m expecting some teams to come in for players, but we’ll have to wait and see. For now the majority have told me they want to come back and they feel they have unfinished business.”

Gillingham and Maidstone have committed to visit the Shepherd Neame Stadium for pre-season friendlies while Turner will take a side to a weekend tournament at Aveley in late July.