Faversham Town manager Tommy Warrilow hopes side will be ‘different kettle of fish’ after a pre-season with them as they aim for promotion again after Play-off Semi-Final heartache

Manager Tommy Warrilow hopes Faversham will be “a different kettle of fish” next season as they target promotion and a return to Isthmian League football - again.

Town’s 2023/24 campaign came to an end on Tuesday night when they lost their Southern Counties East Premier Division Play-off Semi-Final 4-1 on penalties to Corinthian after a 2-2 draw.

While the Lilywhites were top when they sacked Sammy Moore in January, that was always a false position due to rivals having games in hand. But an 11-match unbeaten run secured the runners-up place and home advantage in the play-offs.

Warrilow is still reeling from the disappointment of more personal play-off heartache - twice losing the Isthmian South East Play-off Final while at Ashford - but knows he quickly needs to recover from it.

He said: “There’s no positive to say when you go out of a Play-off Semi-Final.

“It doesn’t matter if you finish second or wherever because we’ve now finished the season.

“The aim was to get out of this league and we haven’t done that. Now, it’s just about regrouping.

Report: Faversham 2-2 Corinthian (Corinthian win 4-1 on penalties)

Boss Warrilow: Lilywhites were below-par

“Like I said to the boys, we’ll be in touch and we will have to meet up again and have a discussion about next season.

“I’m, obviously, not a happy bunny. It’s a whole season’s worth of work - even though I’ve only been here since January - and it’s a horrible feeling when you go to the latter stages and come unstuck.

“But that’s football. I’ve been in it a long time.

“Pre-season will come around quickly. We will get them in for next season and the most important thing for next year is to get out of this league.

“Hopefully, if we get a full season, and a run-up at it