Ray Turner says his players have both the heart and character to bounce back from their play-off disappointment.

The Faversham manager admitted his squad were distraught immediately after Saturday’s 3-0 Ryman League, Division 1 South play-off final defeat at Worthing but says he has no doubt they would go again next season.

He also said they deserved huge credit for breaking into the top five, when, for much of the season they were playing catch-up.

Turner said: “It’s difficult, you feel emotional (after a game like this). There’s nothing you can say to the boys. They’re so low but there’s heart and soul in this team and the club and that’s the thing I can take most pride out of the game.

“Ten years of work has gone into this football club and all you can do is point to the fact of how far we’ve come.

“The side has again gone through a massive transition (this season). Effectively we could have given up around October time when we were 10th but we kept hanging on in there.

“Consistently we outplay and outpoint teams with much better budgets, with much more resources than us and all I can say is if they (the players) retain their heart and soul, we can go again.”

The Town boss also praised his players for the way they conducted themselves, both during the game and during the protracted Worthing celebrations which followed the final whistle.

He added: “Our behaviour was exemplary. We’ve had to stand there in the corner while all the celebrations were going on.

“We did the same at Maidstone (in the 2013 play-off final which they lost 3-0) and we did the same against Kingstonian (in last month’s Alan Turvey Trophy final when they were beaten 5-0). I just hope one day the players get their reward for the things they do and the standards we set.”