Hythe’s survival push has received a boost with Tyler Sterling set to stay at Reachfields for the rest of the season.

Sterling scored twice in the Cannons’ 3-3 draw at Three Bridges on Saturday, including a spectacular strike from near the halfway line.

The on-loan Folkestone forward is putting in the work rate to go with his talent and that can only help Hythe as they bid to steer clear of trouble in Isthmian South East.

He’s playing regularly and Invicta boss Neil Cugley is happy to let him stay on.

“Cugs has got Luke Wanadio and a few others so unless they get a few injuries, the plan is to let Tyler stay with us,” said Hythe player-boss James Rogers.

“He can be a frustrating player but on his day there aren’t many who can match his quality.

“If he learns the other side of the game, keeps his head and listens to people like Cugs, I’m sure he’ll push on with the ability he’s got.

“He scored from near the halfway line on Saturday, he’s seen the keeper off his line and dinked it in.

“He didn’t smash it, he knew exactly what he was doing and where he wanted the ball to go.

“You don’t see many players at this level who can do that.

“His work rate is now matching his quality in certain games as well, which is really good to see.”

Hythe have edged four points clear of the bottom three with back-to-back draws, having experienced both sides of last-minute drama.

Last Tuesday they were celebrating as Riley Alford snatched a 2-2 draw against Whitehawk.

The roles were reversed at Three Bridges where the Cannons - leading 3-2 after George Crimmen’s 84th-minute goal - conceded at the death.

Rogers said: “We were over the moon to get the last-minute equaliser against Whitehawk, which was the least we deserved.

“It went against us on Saturday but, on the balance of play, a draw was a fair result and I’d have taken a point before the game, so I wasn’t too disappointed in the changing room.

“If we’d lost I’d have been fuming but we’re four points clear of the third-bottom relegation spot, so it’s given us a bit of breathing space.

“We’ve got some big games coming up now and we need a couple of wins.

“I think four wins would keep us up. We’d be unlucky to go down with 39/40 points.”

Hythe look to build on their pair of draws when they host Chichester on Saturday.

Their opponents still have an outside chance of making the play-offs but Rogers, who has signed left-back Nico Cotton from Ramsgate, said: “We go into it with nothing to fear.

“We’ve got some good players at our club and we have done all season, we’ve just been unlucky with injuries and things going against us.

“I’m confident we can get a result and it would be massive if we could, with Burgess Hill and Ashford coming up.”