JOHN Coventry insists East Thurrock United’s recent form against Canvey Island will count for nothing when the rivals meet tonight.

The Rocks manager has led his side to four wins in the last five encounters between the two teams, including a 1-0 win earlier in the season.

David Bryant scored the goal that day and, although he is expected to be fit, Rocks have a number of injuries that have taken their squad to the bare bones.

Defensive pairing Ben Wood (hamstring) and Paul Goodacre (illness) are serious doubts for the game tonight but Coventry is hopeful of continuing their good form against the Gulls.

“I didn’t know we had a decent record against them until someone told me recently,” he admitted. “But that doesn’t mean anything tonight. It will be an interesting match and we will have to be at our best to win it.”

Rocks went out to Havant & Waterlooville in the final qualifying round of the FA Trophy on Saturday and Coventry said his side should have been in the hat for the next round.

“We should have won,” he said. “We had far more chances than Havant and the worst thing that could have happened was for them to be reduced to ten men.

“We found it really hard to break down their defence after that as they sat behind the ball. But we have to forget about it now.

“That is it for the cup this season,” added Coventry. “We are used to having a busy cup schedule but that is something we enjoy.

“We have to focus on the league now and I don’t think it will be difficult to switch from cup mentality to league mentality.

“But we have to show that tomorrow.”