STANWAY ROVERS full-back Jemel Fox is tipping his side to keep challenging near the top of the Thurlow Nunn League table.

The club are fifth in the premier division - ten points behind second-placed Felixstowe and Walton and 23 behind champions-elect Mildenhall Town.

Their title ambitions appear all but over and their one realistic chance of silverware also disappeared this week, following Tuesday’s 4-0 defeat at Haverhill Rovers in the League Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

However, Fox insists he and his team-mates still have plenty to play for - and believes they are capable of sealing a top-four position.

“It’s a massively transitional period for the club,” said the left-back, who cleared two efforts off the line in Tuesday’s defeat.

“(Previous manager) Angelo (Harrop) had so much history with the club, so it’s going to take time to adjust.

“However, I’ve got great faith in Dugy (new boss Karl Duguid).

“He’s a good man and an experienced footballer.

“That shows in his coaching style and the way he wants us to play.

“I believe we’ve got enough technical ability in the dressing room to understand the philosophy he wants to install.

“He’ll turn it around and fortunes can change very quickly in football.

“You might win one game and then win the next eight or nine.

“We’ve got enough in our changing room to really cement our place in the top four.

“I still think we’ll be up there, maybe in second or third.

“That said, it’s also very important, given the situation we’re in, to be patient.”

Owen Longley gave Haverhill a half-time lead, latching onto Jonny Milne’s flick to score from 12 yards.

Rory Jebb pounced early in the second half before Ben Bradley fired home at the far post and Justin Leavers made it 4-0.

“We were all trying our hardest to get a result for Dugy,” added former Whitton United, Needham Market, AFC Sudbury and Leiston defender Fox, who is the nephew of former Norwich City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur winger Ruel Fox.

“It was a tough night and a disappointing result.

“We had a mixed squad, with a few reserve-team players stepping up and others being cup-tied.

“We haven’t got the biggest group at the moment but we were still in the game at half-time, before getting punished after the break.”

Haverhill will now visit Newmarket Town in the semi-finals, after the Jockeys eliminated COGGESHALL TOWN 5-1 on Tuesday night.

Elsewhere in midweek, HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS had a rearranged Ryman League division north match at Bowers and Pitsea and lost 2-0.

Both goals came in the second half and were scored by Lewis Manor and Billy Jones.