Canvey Island soccer boss Jeff King has issued a "don't write off our season" warning.

Gulls were hot on the tail of runaway Ryman League Premier Division leaders Dagenham and Redbridge a fortnight ago, but a bad run of just one point from three games means that they now look like losing out to Aldershot for second place.

However, the team are still involved in three knockout competitions - they meet Purfleet for the Essex Senior Cup at Roots Hall on Monday week - and King is convinced that they can at least take third Premier spot.

To stay in with a good chance of doing that they must collect three points at home to bottom club Boreham Wood tomorow (Saturday) and King says: "People could find they are writing us off too soon.

"Sure we had a couple of poor performances when we lost at home to Hampton and then only drew at Hitchin, but we were much more like our old selves at Purfleet on Monday night.

"To be honest we controlled the game for long periods and were unlucky to be beaten. It's been a big blow to have lost the services of Steve Ward, one of our most influential players, for the last three games through injury, but Micky Bennett and our new signing Peter Smith did an excellent job at the heart of defence against Purfleet."

King expects Smith, who played 200 games for Brighton in his League career, to become a very important part of Canvey's future and the player has signed a two-year deal.

It's unlikely that Ward will be back either tomorrow or for Tuesday's key visit to Aldershot but King insists: "Whatever happens, we've had a fabulous first season at Premier level.

"Many teams coming up from Division One struggle not to go straight back down again, but whatever happens we'll be in the top five in our first season.

"People can be over-critical at times. Perhaps some should remember that little old Canvey, who were playing county football just five years ago, have just one level between ourselves and Southend United."

In form - Micky Bennett (Canvey) and Joe Baker (Billericay) have both been in good form for their respective clubs in recent matches.

Picture: LUAN MARSHALL

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.