Hornchurch manager Mark Stimson has said that his team are “in the race” to be promoted this season after a 2-0 win against Bishop Stortford on Saturday.

The result marked the sixth win in a row for the Urchins, who have risen to eighth in the Isthmian Premier League, recovering from a troublesome spell of losses through October.

“We had a very difficult start due to injuries, but hopefully we’ve got through that,” said Stimson.

Now halfway through the campaign, the boss says his team have “loads to play for”, building on the success of winning the FA Trophy last season, and hoping to secure promotion to the National League South.

“We’re in the race, we’ve just got to maintain what we’re doing and push each other and try and make that happen," he said.

The win was secured by goals either side of the break, the first scored by midfielder Ola Ogunwamide. The second came from Lewwis Spence, one of the team’s stand-out players, having previously scored a “wonder-goal” from the half-way line in December.

This effort, whilst less spectacular, was no less important in the eyes of his manager, who said: “A goal’s a goal at the end of the day."

Stimson, a former Newcastle and Portsmouth defender, was also delighted with a clean sheet against opposition who sit four places higher than Hornchurch in the league.

“We had our back four playing together," he said. "That hasn’t been the case for the last few weeks because of injury, but when we get them together, they’re a good back four.”

Despite bad weather, the match was attended by more than 400 spectators, which Stimson said contributed to the players’ enthusiasm.

“[The fans] always turn out in numbers, they’re very vocal and that only helps the players with more motivation, and I know the players enjoy that – long may that continue.”

The team will travel to take on Margate next Saturday, who are currently just one point behind them in the table.

“It’s another tough game”, said Stimson. “They’re just one place below us, and they play on artificial turf which is a very different game.”

“Another performance like Saturday, and I’m sure we can come away with something”.