Whitstable Town’s management identified two key areas to improve on after a rocky start to the season - and the results have picked up since.

Marcel Nimani’s side followed up Saturday’s thrilling 4-3 win at Fisher by beating Hollands & Blair 2-0 at home on Tuesday night in a test of patience.

With just one defeat in their last nine Southern Counties East Premier Division games, the Oystermen are well positioned among the leading clubs in the table, heading into the weekend sitting fourth, five points off leaders Glebe with a game in hand.

Nimani said: “When you are downbeat and having defeats it is not about kicking and screaming and shouting, it is about recognising areas to improve on.

“We reflected on quite a few things, as players and management, and as a management team there were two main things, really. We had a lot of good young players back then but we felt the experience was lacking in game management, particularly in big games.

“We brought in some experienced players, physically strong but also mentally strong, and that’s paid off.

“We also recognised we had too many forward-minded players on the pitch, that was affecting us. We have eliminated those issues and at the moment it is paying off.”

Calm heads were needed on Tuesday night to see off a stubborn Hollands & Blair side.

Josh Williams’ 70th-minute penalty finally broke the deadlock and Emmanuel Oloyede’s goal seven minutes later clinched the win.

Nimani said: “They came and defended really well, with a good defensive shape, but we still created three or four good, clear-cut chances that on another day we could have scored. Had we done that, it would have been a different game as they would have had to come out.

“The boys were frustrated that they weren’t getting the success they were expecting with the possession we had, but we had to relax them and make sure we stuck to our strengths.

“Our team-talk at half-time was simple, to just keep doing what we were doing, be patient, to not allow them to frustrate us and affect our game. We recognised a couple of areas where they were weak and we adjusted a little and patience in the end paid off.”

That victory came after their weekend success, which saw the Oystermen beat Fisher in front of a big crowd for the hosts.

Twice Nimani’s side were in front, with goals from Williams and Harvey Smith, but twice Fisher hit back to level.

Oloyede put Whitstable 3-2 up and Josh Oliver added a fourth in stoppage-time, only for the hosts to score again in the 93rd minute to set up a tense finish.

Fisher were buoyed by a crowd of 386 during their Community Day, the biggest attendance at St Paul’s since the visit of Wimbledon 15 years ago.

“That was a tough game,” Nimani admitted. “Fisher are a very good, athletic side and they are strong, physically, as well. They kept getting balls into the box, they are a very battling side and they didn’t give in but eventually the experience we have in the side paid off.”

Whitstable are among a host of teams jostling at the top end of the Premier Division, with 10 points separating the top seven ahead of last night’s (Wednesday) action. A handful of others aren’t far off.

Nimani is enjoying the competitiveness of the level and said: “Anyone can have a good week with two league games and suddenly you are in a play-off shout. It is extremely tight.

“It is not just the fact that so many teams have the opportunity, look at the players at each team and how many Step Four and Three players are now playing Step Five.

“The quality at this level is as good as it has ever been and the teams are also investing in their facilities.

“The crowds have picked up, it is no longer a retirement league, it is an exciting league with good, young players and experienced players, too, and it is a brilliant league to be part of.

“It would be extremely difficult for anyone to run away with this league and it would be an unfair and unrealistic expectation of anybody to do that. It is very competitive.”

Whitstable take a break from league action this Saturday when they host Bearsted in the Kent Senior Trophy, one of those sides not far away from the leading contenders in the Premier Division.

“They are a phenomenal side,” said Nimani. “It’s one of the best Bearsted sides they have had at this level. The recruitment has been exemplary and they have three or four players in their side that I had spoken to in the summer.

“They play good football, they have a very experienced management team and last time we played them was a really tight affair. I am expecting it to be the same battle again.”