Upbeat Faversham joint-manager John Embery can see positive signs from his team despite starting the season with three straight defeats.

Town went down to a 3-2 home loss to FA Vase finalists Littlehampton last weekend in their first Isthmian South East encounter and lost 2-0 at newly-promoted Chatham on Tuesday.

Embery and joint-boss Jermaine Darlington have a free weekend this Saturday after being knocked out of the FA Cup by lower-league Colliers Wood.

The break will allow them to continue to gel their new-look squad having signed striker Junior Aikhionbare while Town remain on the hunt for further firepower.

Against Chatham, the Lilywhites held on for 76 minutes before striker Dan Bradshaw scored and Josh Ogunseye added an excellent second for Chats.

“We are gutted, absolutely gutted,” said Embery. “We worked so hard, we did really well as a unit.

“They had more possession than us but they had run out of ideas. One of our players got done with a ball over the top at 0-0. He came over and I said to him ‘Don’t get done again because you will get punished’ and that’s what happened!

“It was a tough night for us, there were massive improvements, but we didn’t get anything out of the game.

“Last 10 minutes of the first half, we did really well and then we backed that up in the second half. At the moment, we are short on strikers and we are looking to add more but, when Connor Cox had to come off, we moved Bradley Schafer up front and changed things around in midfield.

“So that’s a lot of changing around for one substitution. The first goal is frustrating but take nothing away from the finish for the second goal, there’s nothing you can do about that.

“It was a hard one for me and Jermaine to take - but there’s loads to build on.”

Goalkeeper Simon Overland struggled to be available in pre-season due to work commitments but he returned to the starting line-up after ex-Millwall man Leighton Fanshawe had started the first two competitive fixtures.

Embery said: “With Simon’s experience, that’s why we brought him back in. We could hear him the whole time.

“He has been around this level for a long time. When he had to rollick people, he rollicked them.

“Leighton is a very good young goalkeeper but he needs to be a bit more projective with his voice. That’s one of Simon’s strengths.”

Aikhionbare played for Darlington and Embery at Herne Bay and has now joined the Salters Lane club.

“He might be available for the Sittingbourne game, we will see how he goes because he has a little knock,” said Embery.

“He’s quick, strong and he will score goals. He brings what we need.

"Fair play to the board for everything they are doing at the moment and Gary [Smart], the chairman, who has worked so hard for us.

“We are looking to bring one or two in on loan but it’s very fragile at the moment. It’s not the players, it’s more the clubs making a decision whether or not to let the players out.

“Goals bring confidence. If we have a goalscorer in the team, it makes a massive difference.

“Even if you are not playing well, you know you have got someone who can score. That makes a massive difference to the group.

“Saturday, we had a really harsh penalty against us but, in the last 20 minutes, they clicked. We had a few off the line and their keeper made a few great saves.”

Nathan Wood and Bradley Schafer, with a penalty, scored their first goals for Town against Littlehampton.