Clive Cook believes Hythe Town will be impossible to shift if they break into the play-off places.

Seven straight wins in Ryman League Division 1 South have carried the Cannons to within two points of the top-five and they have games in hand over most of the teams above them.

That’s the best run since Cook was appointed manager in September although he knows their promotion hopes still hang by a thread.

Cook said: "One game blows it, that’s what it’s like at the moment. I think if we get in there, we’ll stay there.

"If we get there, we will challenge strongly because I can’t see anyone beating us at the moment.

"I know, somewhere along the line, someone’s going to beat us but our belief is they won’t. Could we carry it on? I think we could.

"Hastings have got games in hand and we’ve got to play them. We’ve got some big games coming up but we’ve clawed ourselves back into it.

"We had such a lot to claw back to get in the play-offs. We had four points when we took it over, so that’s 50-odd points (we’ve won since then).

"It’s just about clawing back the gap. You set yourself little goals –get out of the relegation zone, get up to halfway, get into the top-10. Our next goal is getting into the top-five.

"You get a little bit apprehensive when you know you’re walking into a difficult situation – are you going to turn it around? That type of thing.

"We got off to a good start and now the expectations have moved all over the place. That’s what happens in football.

"You win a lot of games and go on a run and all of a sudden, we’ve quietly crept into it. We’ve got it all to do still and don’t want to let our run stop."

Hythe’s next two games are away to sides in the bottom-four.

They go to Walton & Hersham on Saturday before visiting Peacehaven & Telscombe on Tuesday.

Cook said: "You look at it in two ways. They could be banana skins, especially Walton & Hersham, because I don’t think they’re a bad side.

"Yes, you would take us to win those games but it’s a football match – 11 v 11 so anything can happen.

"We have got to have the right mindset to win these games. I drum it into them before the game and I probably sound boring but you’ve got to go out and beat the 11 players."