CITY boss Steve Castle is eyeing a late surge for the play-offs as his side moved back into the top half of the Blue Square South table with a comprehensive 5-0 win over crisis-club Bognor Regis Town. Castle s side are 13 points off the play-offs with 36

CITY boss Steve Castle is eyeing a late surge for the play-offs as his side moved back into the top half of the Blue Square South table with a comprehensive 5-0 win over crisis-club Bognor Regis Town.

Castle's side are 13 points off the play-offs with 36 points left to play for but, as the manager told The Herts Advertiser, they can't afford any more slip ups.

"I've said to them that if we can win all the games against the teams in the lower half then really we've got to compete against the teams who we want to beat in the play-offs if we got there. I think 67 points got to the play-offs last year so we've just got to keep winning and see how we go.

"I would say we haven't got anymore chances and we've just got to keep on going and they might be sensing that. We're good enough to be in and around and it would be really nice to give it a really good challenge and at least not let the season peter out."

The result pretty much extinguishes any worries of relegation for City but Castle says it means nothing if they don't follow it up with another three points next weekend.

"Without being too dour on it, it's three points, a great scoreline and a great week but it means nothing if we go and get beat against Team Bath so we haven't got any more chances - it's as simple as that.

"We've even spoken about the threat of relegation obviously as I mentioned to you before, but I like to have a more positive outlook on things. If we keep looking at the top and seeing how far it is there then we definitely won't get relegated but who knows?"

Castle praised two-goal hero Paul Hakim after he moved into second place in the goal scoring charts and James Quilter who continues to excel since moving into the defence.

"That second goal by Paul Hakim had the kind of quality that you see way above this level. Fair play to him he's worked hard at his game and Gary's (Cohen) working very, very solidly. You've also got James Fisher scoring goals from midfield and obviously it's very pleasing.

"It's been a good week. I think the two midfield players have been excellent. We had the case of Ben Martin who's been very, very ill for the whole week and I think James Quilter he was the more dominant one out of the two of them today. James has done very well and he's done very well all season for us whether its in midfield or centre half and it looks like we've got a nice solid base but we won't get carried away with things just yet."

Castle paid tribute to Bognor's team of youngsters who battled bravely even when staring at a 5-0 defeat.

"They've obviously put on a great performance against Chelmsford and to be honest with you for the first 45 [minutes] especially I could see why. Ok, they didn't split us open at all but we got our noses in front and really its just the same as Tuesday really, goals change games.

"Anytime I come down here I love the way the football club is run because they always try to play good football and they've got confidence on the ball on a nice surface and it wasn't their day in front of goal but we'll take that from our perspective.