Clive Cook wants Hythe to make the most of games against their promotion rivals as they might be easier than those against relegation scrappers.

Town drew 1-1 at home to fifth-placed Hastings on Tuesday night to stay sixth and visit seventh-placed Lewes on Saturday (3pm), with all three sides separated by just two points in a tight Ryman League, Division 1 South play-off race.

Next Saturday they welcome fourth-placed Carshalton, a point ahead, in what feels a pivotal run and Cook said: “When you are playing games against your direct rivals, you must not lose. You don’t want the gap to get any wider.

“When you play teams in the top-six, it can actually feel better.

“There is less expectation on you to win, which is part of it but when you play against the lower teams, they make it so hard for you, put 10 behind the ball, because they’re doing everything they can not to lose.

“Nobody in their right mind would have said Chatham would have got something at Hastings on Saturday but they did. The same goes for Three Bridges coming to ours last week.”

Cook fancies their chances at Lewes on Saturday but added: “In the space of a week they go from losing 5-1 at home to winning 4-0 away at Molesey, who had only lost once at home all season.

“That sums the league up this season. How are you supposed to know what you’re going to get? Normally by the start of March things are mapped out but they’re certainly not this season. I’ve never known anything like it.

“I do think the next two weeks could see it settle down a bit.

“There are a couple of teams you might count out of the race if they were to lose another one or two but then I said it would be clearer two weeks ago and it still isn’t.”