EAST Thurrock United manager John Coventry says priority remains on securing a top five finish after they closed the gap on the Ryman Premier League leaders over the Easter weekend.

A return of six points for Rocks and Saturday’s defeat for current leaders Hampton & Richmond Borough means the gap is just four points with four games remaining, although Bognor Regis Town are arguably the favourites with five games in hand and just nine points off top spot.

And Coventry said he was pleased, after a brace from Sam Higgins either side of a Tom Wraight strike secured a 3-0 win against a Grays side who have lost a host of players in recent times, following the announcement that owner Andy Swallow had handed the day-to-day running of the club over to the supporters’ trust.

“It has been a good weekend,” said Coventry. “Hampton dropped points on Saturday although Bognor are the ones to watch as they just keep winning. All we can do is win our matches and go from there, although we are running out of games now.

“But we are closing on a top five finish and a couple more wins will see us achieve that and that was always the aim before we started the season.

“It is sad for Grays’ supporters as their team was so different to that which was playing not so long ago and it was always going to be hard for them. But we had to approach it in the right way and make sure we came away with the points.

“It was a surreal game as you didn’t know what to expect but we had it won in the first 25 minutes and that was positive.”

Coventry added Joe Ellul and Ryan Sammons were teetering on the edge of suspension after accumulating a number of bookings this campaign.

Rocks have games against Wingate, VCD Athletic, Harrow Borough and Lewes remaining, with the latter three all fighting for survival and VCD and Lewes all but resigned to the drop.

“Joe is two matches away from 10 yellow cards and a two match ban and Sammo is three away from 15 bookings so I need to be careful with them,” he said.

“I will see how we are doing at Wingate & Finchley on Saturday and I may change things around but we will go there and try to win the game.

“It will be tough but all the remaining games are.”