Whitstable Town are within touching distance of a return to the Isthmian League following their midweek win over Punjab United which has left Jamie Coyle’s side agonisingly close to the SCEFL Premier title.

Jack Nelson’s late goal in Gravesend on Wednesday night leaves the Oystermen potentially six points away from the title, and they face Chislehurst Glebe at the Belmont on Saturday knowing that if they can better Fisher’s result at home to Kennington, their four-year absence from the Isthmian League will be over.

We spoke to Coyle after the Punjab win and he admitted, “That’s how you get the points to win titles. It was a basketball game really – end-to-end and it proved to be one moment of quality (Bradley Schaffer’s ball to Nelson) that settled the game.

“Really pleased as it really doesn’t matter how it looks at this stage of the season – we knew that it would be a physical battle against a team who are very similar to us physically but again we found a way to get the points as we did against Erith & Belvedere on Saturday, to win at the death.”

“Really, really pleased – we have had a really difficult week with two tough games but maximum points…”

“We haven’t discussed anything about how close we are and we’re looking at needing two more wins for the title, so we are focused on getting it done as soon as we can so Saturday will be a completely different game from what we saw in Gravesend on Wednesday night!

“The pitch didn’t really allow either team to play, but Saturday we are playing a side in Glebe who are in a great run, unbeaten in five in the League, and Frankie (Sawyer) has done an amazing job there to bring them to safety from bottom of the League – they play total football so I am sure that the game will look totally different from Wednesday night and we will have to pick a different team to match that.”

“We made six changes from Saturday to Wednesday and for us to get three points away from home against one of the better sides in the League is testament to the strength we have in this year’s squad!

“When you look who we are still missing through injury including our skipper Jake McIntyre, we have six players who get in any side at this level, and they aren’t available for us at the moment.

“We have quality on the bench and are able to rotate things around as we did last year – the squad and the strength in depth is the reason why we are able to this season as we did last season, change things around as we do!

“As a manager I can tell you that you do worry about making that many changes, but the boys delivered meaning that we are one step closer to hitting the aim at the start of the season and getting back into Step Four!”