1-0… to the Chi City: Boss Rutherford will settle for that every week

The men from Oaklands Park notched a 1-0 Isthmian south east win at home to Hythe on Saturday – then knocked Haywards Heath out of the Velocity Trophy with the same scoreline at the same venue on Tuesday night.

Evergreen Josh Clack was the goal hero against Hythe – while teenager Joe Moore took his chance to impress with the only goal against league rivals Heath in midweek.

City boss Rutherford is pleased to see his side winning and keeping clean sheets – with more defensive resilience on show this term than last season. But he has warned there are tougher tests to come in the next few weeks.

City are seventh in the Isthmian south east and just a point off the play-off zone after their latest victory.

Rutherford said: “We’re doing all right although we’re generally only playing well in halves, and not over 90 minutes.

"We’re a bit tighter at the back at the moment – as we have shown in both games this week.

"We’re not conceding and we’re settling for what we’ve got, where as last season we were scoring more but conceding more too. I’m quite happy all the time we’re winning games 1-0.”

Rutherford has a pool of six or seven defenders who have made up the back four and said all had played their part.

At the other end Clack’s goals have proved vital at a time when an injury to Callum Overton has left them without a recognised centre-forward.

And in the trophy win over Haywards Heath, 18-year-old Moore was on the scoresheet – and was one of a number of younger players to shine on a rare first-team chance.

"Joe played well and Isaac Bello came in and did well too. It’s useful to be able to bring some of the younger lads in for minutes in the first team.”

City have a tough run of league games ahead of them.

They visit second-placed Chatham this Saturday and third-placed VCD a week later.

They’ll be without midfielder Emmett Dunn, likely to be out for six weeks after dislocating his collarbone, but Overton is fit again.