Faversham boss Sammy Moore reckons his side and in-form weekend visitors Deal are the two favourites in this season’s hotly-contested Southern Counties East League Premier Division title race.

While the Lilywhites sat top of the tree at Christmas, the Hoops are only five points behind them and still have four matches in hand.

Indeed, Deal head into the game this Saturday at Salters Lane on a nine-match winning run while Faversham have drawn successive away matches 2-2 against promotion rivals Glebe and Whitstable.

On the battle to be crowned champions, Moore said: “I think it’ll be between us and Deal from what I’ve seen, to be honest.

“They’re going very well and I know pretty much all of their players. They have mostly been together for four years so they have got that camaraderie and togetherness.

“They have some players that can hurt anyone on their day - Aaron Millbank, Rory Smith, the Chapman brothers and Macauley Murray. They’re strong from set-pieces.

“But we’re at home. Our boys know we need to try to get a win, and that’s what we will be going to do.

Report: Whitstable 2-2 Faversham

“The main thing is we don’t come out of that game with a defeat.

“Then, we dust ourselves down and go into a run of fixtures where we can really put a strong run together.”

Deal - actually yet to face the Lilywhites this term - could move some way clear at the summit if they win their games in hand. But the Hoops also remain in the FA Vase and the Challenge Cup, and Moore would rather be in Faversham’s position than that of Deal.

He said: “There’s going to be swings and roundabouts.

“(Coach) Darren Hare said last week that you’re not going to win the title at Christmas - but you can put yourself in a good position to go and win it. That’s what we have done.

“I’d rather have the points than the games in hand. Deal have got the Vase so they’re going to have loads of games coming up.

“But they’re in a good moment and it’s up to us to burst their bubble.”

The Lilywhites squandered a two-goal half-time lead at Whitstable last Saturday.

Goals from midfielders Billy Bennett and Matt Newman put them in command, only for winger Josh Williams to pull one back before right-back Josh Vincent scored a stoppage-time own goal. It could have been even worse but Whitstable substitute Tyler Anderson hit the post in the dying seconds.

Nevertheless, the result was enough to keep Faversham ahead of Glebe - themselves blowing a two-goal advantage in a 3-2 loss at Holmesdale.

“We haven’t got a problem scoring goals,” Moore added. “We’re the division’s top scorers.

“But we keep making silly mistakes and giving away silly goals that are killing us at the minute. We need to tighten up at the back.”

A mammoth crowd of 1,112 watched their match at Whitstable and Moore called for another big attendance to set up another cup final atmosphere as they host Deal.

“We need all the support we can get for that game,” urged Moore, who welcomes back midfielder Billy Bingham from a ban and also has winger Ashley Miller at his disposal again.

“I felt like Saturday was sort of a cup final game, really. This Saturday is going to have that feeling, as well.

“It was good to get Miller some minutes on the pitch, so he’s back. Billy Bingham is back from suspension, which will strengthen us.

“We’re looking forward to it.”