GRAVESEND & Northfleet captain Steve McKimm wants to make up for lost time by taking maximum points off Nationwide Conference rivals Margate in the club’s Christmas and New Year fixtures.

A year ago McKimm was laid up and out of action with tuberculosis and missed the Fleet’s derby games with Gate.

He said: “The year didn’t get off to the best of starts for me, what with my illness and I missed playing against Margate. It took me a long time to get back to anywhere near my best but I'm getting there. Now I’m convinced we’re good enough to take maximum points off Margate over the Christmas and New Year period. We may be in the bottom half of the table but the spirit within the club is excellent.”

Manager Andy Ford is not playing down the importance of the two matches against Chris Kinnear’s men who are one place above them in 17th and three points better off.

“They are six pointers or 12 pointers, whatever you want to call them,” he said. “What we need is a back-to-back win.

“Get that and it will give the lads belief. It’s important that everybody stays positive.

“This is the time for character, for people to stand up and be counted. That’s the sort we need at the club right now.”

And in a plea to supporters, Ford said: “Stay with us because we’re doing everything we can. I’m looking around the transfer market and hoping that something will drop sooner rather than later.”

Ford was delighted after Andrew Drury’s stoppage time goal earned Fleet a 2-2 draw with Woking on Saturday

“We started well and scored a great goal before suffering from a lapse in concentration,” said Ford.

“I’m delighted we got something out of the game because we thoroughly deserved it.”

Gravesend’s match against Margate at Crabble on December 27 kicks off at 3pm. The match at Stonebridge Road on January 1 also kicks off at 3pm.

Fleet officials are expecting to hear from the Football Association early in the new year over whether they will activate last season’s £10,000 fine following the Fleet’s poor disciplinary record.