New Faversham manager Simon Austin wants to improve the squad’s fitness.

Austin and his new management team headed to Ramsgate last Wednesday, where the Lilywhites won 2-1 in the Velocity Trophy, a day after the manager’s appointment. But they lost 4-1 at Burgess Hill in Isthmian South East on Saturday despite Danny Rumbol’s effort.

He intends to get the squad training twice before their trip to Whitehawk this Saturday.

“I think the reality of the situation is we’ve been in charge for five days, we’ve played two games and won one and lost one,” said Austin on Monday.

“We haven’t had a training session yet! We’re not fit enough and we need to make sure we get some better players in.

“We didn’t have enough players to fill a bench on Saturday and those that were on the bench were from the under-23s, so we have some work to do.

“Three of their goals were mistakes. We will look to educate from it and rectify that.

“We had a couple of really good chances but did we deserve to win the game? No, we didn’t, nowhere near it.”

Austin has seen enough of Town, still second-bottom, to know where he wants to strengthen the squad - but doing so is easier said than done.

He said: “I know now, after two games, the numbers we need and the positions we need to strengthen in. We are working hard to do that this week.

“But the hardest thing to do in football is sign people. I have my list of targets, we just need to work through that in the right way. Hopefully we can get some in.

“To sign players, you have to allow for a seven-day approach. In the time we’ve been here, we’ve had two games but it’s not been seven days yet.

“But we have got two training sessions this week. This is our first opportunity to work with the players and get them a bit fitter.”

Under-23s player Egid Aydin netted in the first half at Ramsgate and Nathan Wood converted a free-kick after the restart before the hosts pulled one back.

It was a fourth goal this season for midfielder Wood but he has now left alongside striker Jake Embery, the son of former joint-manager John Embery, who has joined Herne Bay. Wood is at National League South Tonbridge.

“Nathan has left, he wanted to leave,” Austin confirmed.

“He goes with our best wishes.”

Whitehawk struggled last season but they are now battling in the higher echelons of the table.

Austin said: “Whitehawk is going to be a bigger test, I should imagine.

“There’s going to be a lot of distractions. But for now, all we can focus on is Tuesday, Thursday and the Saturday coming up.

"These are the things we can control.”

Former striker Austin will make a Cheriton Road return on Tuesday as the Lilywhites visit Isthmian Premier outfit Folkestone in the Velocity Trophy, although he won't be in the opposite dug-out to Neil Cugley after he quit management after more than 25 years in charge.

“It’s going to be a very tough test,” Austin noted.

“But it’s another 90 minutes we have got coming up to look at players and, hopefully, we will have some players coming in.

“My father-in-law has been involved at Folkestone for a long time. It’s going to be an interesting one on the pitch and off the pitch for personal and family reasons."

Defender Timi Toluwanile (shoulder) and forward Junior Aikhionbare (cramp) came off at Burgess Hill.