ROCKS REVIEW: Let's turn our attentions to the league's top two

The Rocks are turning their attentions to the top two in their division after getting their season back on track with another rout at Godalming.

They suffered a mini-blip with a defeat and a dour draw from successive home games but blew away fears of a dip in form with a 5-2 FA Trophy replay win in Surrey on Tuesday night.

That earned them another £3,000 in prize money - taking their total FA Cup and Trophy earnings for the campaign to £11,700 - and set up a mouthwatering Nyewood Lane clash with Conference South side Hampton & Richmond in the next round.

It brought their goal tally for the season to a remarkable 45 from 20 games. And 18 of those goals have come in the past four away games.

Now, though, the team are aiming to put their Trophy run to their back of their minds and concentrate on business at the top end of Ryman one south.

They visit bottom side Corinthian Casuals and then Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday (Nov 6) and Saturday week, with a home clash againast Walton Casuals in between, next Tuesday.

Bosses Jamie Howell and Darin Killpartrick were delighted to see the side rediscover their form but refused to get carried away.

Howell felt the difference in home and away form was in part down to teams coming to Nyewood Lane to defend because of the Rocks’ good start.

“We’re having to work harder at home to break down teams - I suppose we should be a little flattered by that because sides are coming to our place with a game plan, and often to defend in numbers,” he said.

“We’ve found that hard to do at home lately but the pleasing thing at Godalming was we showed we hadn’t lost our touch. We controlled most of the game and are pleased to go through.

“But the number one priority this season is the league and we now have a little run of games to get points on the board.

“Corinthians are struggling so that will again bring about an expectation on us to go there and win. We will have to deal with that.

“Walton Casuals are one of the better side’s we’ve played so that will be a tough game for us.”

Fellow manager Killpartrick said: “At home to Godalming we worked the ball into good areas but our final ball was poor which is not acceptable. But on Tuesday, we attacked them well and did well to kill off the game when they made a comeback.

“But I’ve said all along the league is our bread and butter so now we have to take that form into our next run of games. We’ve got another busy month ahead of us and we will need to be clever to keep winning games.”

The return after illness of midfielder Michael Birmingham boosted the squad in midweek but they are now sweating on another key man - Luke Nightingale, who has scored three in three.

He came off five minutes from the end with a cheek injury and the Rocks are praying it is just brusiing and not a fracture.