Lewes FC boss ignoring other teams' results in Isthmian League play-off race

Dropped points for the likes of Folkestone Invicta, Bishop’s Stortford and Hornchurch helped keep Lewes in a strong position in the Isthmian premier play-off zone.

But Russell insists he prefers to focus on his own team’s performance instead of others.

When asked if other results going in Lewes’s favour gives a boost to the club, Russell said: “Honestly I don’t really care about anyone else.

“It’s not something that consumes me. I think just keep everything nice and simple, so we just do the best we can.

“Work as hard as you can to get the three points and if you get them, you get them and if you don’t, you don’t.

“I think managers get frazzled at this time of year because of that, they’re looking at fixtures and are so concerned about what everyone else is doing.

“We can only control what we’re doing and that’s all we’re going to do, so to be honest it doesn’t give me a boost.”

Goals from Juevan Spencer, Razz Coleman De-Graft and Casey Pettit secured Saturday’s win and left the Rooks fourth – eight points behind leaders Worthing.

Russell will hope for another three points when he takes his team into a tough fixture at Carshalton Athletic tomorrow.

He admits the game will be hard but is still confident his team can pick up another valuable win.

“If you look at the games they have played at home, Folkestone went there and got beat five nil, Worthing went there and got beat. It’s a graveyard for the boys up in and around it so we know full well it’s going to be a hard game and we’ll have to play well,” he said.

“Carshalton is the sort of place away that if you get it wrong and you don’t turn up you just don’t get beat, you get ironed out and you will get battered.

“We beat them at home but we’re going to have to play well, there’s no doubt about it but I do think if we do play well, we will win, I’m confident in that.”

Lewes will be without the suspended Mitchell Nelson and midfielder Tom Phipp with injury. Bradley Pritchard is also a doubt.