Keith McMahon praised the work-rate of Whitstable’s players as his side returned to winning ways at Faversham on Monday.

Goals from Stephen Okoh and Kemo Darboe earned the Oystermen an Isthmian South East victory at Salters Lane in front of a crowd of 527 after back-to-back losses to Kent rivals Herne Bay and Ramsgate for McMahon’s men over the festive period.

Substitute Emmanuel Oluwasemo did pull one back for Faversham but Whitstable held on to ease their relegation fears. They are now five points ahead of second-bottom Lancing and three points clear of third-bottom East Grinstead.

“Listen, our work-rate was off the charts on one of the heaviest pitches we have played on,” the Whitstable boss reflected.

“I thought every single player - from the keeper to the centre-forwards - was outstanding, worked their socks off and we deserved to win. We could have had a penalty and we could have gone 2-0 up (earlier) because there were a couple of misses.

“A few people have doubted our fight but we have been here for three months, 13 (league) games and we have got 20 points. We worked it out that, at the beginning of the season if you want to get promoted, you would want two points-per-game so that’s 26 points. We aren’t far away from that.

“A few people have been a bit negative about us over the last couple of weeks - and rightly so with the performances against our local rivals. But they (Herne Bay and Ramsgate) are just a bit ahead of us at the moment.

• Report: Faversham 1-2 Whitstable

“But when I joined the club, I said it was a sleeping giant and the people behind-the-scenes are doing a fantastic job.

“Our day is gonna come because we are only moving forward at the moment.

“We are going to enjoy tonight and then move forward.”

Okoh broke the deadlock against his old club in the first period before Darboe fired home his fifth goal since joining the club in November after the restart with an instinctive counter-attack.

The win was much-needed after a 7-2 loss at Winch’s Field and a 4-1 defeat against Ramsgate at the Belmont on New Year’s Day.

McMahon stated: “The (Salters Lane) pitch is horrendous. It’s just, barely, playable.

“We had to change our shape and changed a bit of personnel as well because of how heavy it was going to be. Stephen scored and his goal was fantastic.

“We played the two big lads up front and Harry Goodger was off the charts. We missed an absolute sitter just before half-time.

“Jake (Mackenzie) knows that but it was just one of those and, to be fair, what really pleased me more was that I thought Faversham came out and had a real go at us for the first 15 minutes in the second half. But for a team that has conceded 13 goals in our last three games, we stood so strong.

“It was an aerial bombardment but we got our heads to everything.

"Then we have gone over the top and Kemo has got us our second one and, to be fair, it’s a fantastic finish - and we could have had another one at the end for Mo Cham as well.

“I was disappointed they scored because I thought Dan Eason, in goal, was fantastic and deserved a clean sheet but I’m just over the moon with how we defended as a whole team.”

Whitstable host Corinthian this Saturday.