Faversham boss James Collins believes this season has been his toughest in management - but he says will be better for the experience.

Town have earned two much-needed results in Isthmian South East, backing up their home win over Burgess Hill with a goalless draw against VCD last weekend.

Collins says he felt sorry for anyone who paid to watch the match at Salters Lane against VCD, but was delighted to see his side claim a point despite not being at their best.

The Lilywhites, 13th, have been desperately unlucky with injuries this term and now have been kicked out of the Velocity Trophy.

They had been due to visit Carshalton in the last-16 but were removed from the competition last week, having not correctly registered a loan player within the time-frame required under cup rules for their shoot-out win over Corinthian last month.

Collins conceded: “I’m bitterly disappointed with that.

“I just feel it’s a season where we have been short of any luck. It sounds like I’m moaning but it’s probably been my hardest season.

“But I will be a better manager for it and the club will be stronger for it.”

Teenager Benedict Bioletti came off the bench against VCD, having been out with an ankle injury sustained while on trial with League 2 Colchester.

Collins reflected: “It was a good point but it was an awful game of football.

“I felt sorry for everyone who had to pay to watch it with the way the conditions were. But I was probably just as happy with the point as I was with the three against Burgess Hill.

“We didn’t play well but we got the point. We actually did something on the board where we told the players where we felt we could have got more points this season.

“Eight of those games were defeats that we felt we could have got draws in - the point being I felt we were not turning enough defeats into draws.

“That’s three clean sheets in a row at home, as well.”

Collins was also frustrated with the decision to call off their scheduled home derby against Herne Bay for a second time on Tuesday, as he called for more consistency from officials.

He said he was told the game was postponed, based on what state the pitch would have been in had it rained during the game, having travelled to Burgess Hill earlier in the season because the official in charge of that match didn’t want to make a decision before it stopped raining - only for that game to be called off not long before kick-off.

Faversham’s squad is looking stronger, though, with players back from injury and defender Conrad Lee having re-signed from Sevenoaks.

“Luke Watkins is out for the season but, hopefully, Donvieve Jones and D’Jean Spencer will not be too far away,” Collins said.

“Then hopefully, we will have some healthy competition.

“With Conrad, after the games against Corinthian in the Velocity Trophy and Hythe, I don’t think I made a sub. So I felt we needed some strength-in-depth.

“I have had Conrad a few times and I like him a lot. So I’m pleased he’s come back.”

This weekend, Town visit a Whitehawk side who have not won any of their last 11 matches - albeit only losing four - and are five points off the foot of the table in 15th.

But Collins warned: “Whitehawk is a tough place to go. Our next two games against Whitehawk and Lancing are against teams below us in the table.

"We have just got four points against sides above us and I will be pleased if we can get another four points from those two games.

"I think Whitehawk are in a false position but, like I said to my players, you are where you are supposed to be at this stage of the season."

Whitehawk plan to use the match to make a stand against homophobia.