Andy Drury is setting his sights on maximum points from his first two home matches as Whitstable’s player-manager as they aim to keep their slim survival hopes alive.

The Oystermen, bottom of Isthmian South East, welcome Whitehawk to the Belmont this weekend before playing Chichester on Tuesday.

There were plenty of positives from Drury’s first match in charge at promotion-chasing Haywards Heath, despite falling to a 2-0 loss, a result which leaves them nine points from safety with just 18 points to play for.

Drury reflected: “The boys gave everything, they worked hard. It was, obviously, going to be a tough game against the fourth-placed team.

“But at the same time, you have got to believe in yourself. They scored a penalty and we didn’t get a penalty ourselves. The second goal was a breakaway goal at the end because we started to push men forward.

“On another day, I think we could have come away with all three points.

"But there were lots of positives to come out of the game.”

Looking ahead to two games in three days, he said: “We will be going out to get six points from those two games.

“That’s the only way I think we will give ourselves a chance of staying up. It would put pressure on those above us.

“But all the time it’s mathematically possible, we will keep going.”

Midfielder Drury himself will be available for the visit of Whitehawk while he has also bolstered his defence and added to his backroom staff, too.

“I think I have made the team stronger,” Drury suggested.

“We’ve brought in Scott Doe, a very experienced centre-half, along with Veron (Nzinga) at left-back who has been playing at Margate. Jay (Saunders, the Gate manager) has loaned him to me until the end of the season.

“Jack Hanson has come in and I will be back for Saturday as well.

“Our squad is looking stronger.”

Drury worked as player-assistant at Cray under Danny Kedwell earlier this season and has gone back to his former club for a goalkeeping coach.

He explained: “There will not be anything (in relation to any more additions to the backroom team) until the end of the season. We have Ben Harding as player-coach and I have brought in a goalkeeping coach, George Howard, who was at Cray.

“He has come in to help us out.”

It is now three fixtures since Whitstable last scored and Drury admitted: “I need to figure out how we will score goals.

“That’s something I have been looking at this week and we will work on training on Thursday.”

The Oystermen have had a free week ahead of Saturday’s match, while Whitehawk, who have had struggles of their own this term and are still in the relegation picture, played Faversham on Tuesday and drew 1-1 in a match which was twice delayed - first due to traffic and then owing to floodlight problems.

Drury admitted: “Hopefully, we will be a bit fresher than them.

“We will look to give our all. We will have a go for the fans and see where it takes us.”

Goalkeeper Adam Highsted has returned, while centre-back Jack Miles is also back and played the full 90 minutes at Haywards Heath.