PHIL Simkin confessed he'd have bitten off someone's hand for 60 points at the start of Hamworthy United's rollercoaster Sydenhams Wessex League campaign.
Simkin's charges can move past the magic 60 with victory over Christchurch at Hurn Bridge tomorrow (3pm) after Wednesday night's memorable 2-1 scalp of rivals Poole Town took them to 10th place on the Premier Division ladder.
And with four league games to go, a top-10 finish is now well within Hammers' grasp - much to the surprise of boss Simkin.
Looking back on Wednesday's victory, Simkin told the Echo: "I was delighted with the performance, in particular Nathan Walker who led from the front as normal.
"He scored a great goal and he just epitomises what we are. He's strong, powerful and it just rubs off on everyone else.
"That gave us 58 points with four games to go. If someone had offered me 60 points in August I'd have snapped their hands off."
Simkin is waiting on the fitness of Michael Dean, who missed Wednesday's triumph with an Achilles problem, but striker Jack Swann is definitely out of tomorrow's trip to Hurn Bridge with an ongoing hamstring problem.
Previewing tomorrow's clash, Simkin said: "It's never an easy place to go and they've got some good players.
"After Wednesday night, though, we're pretty confident and we can see that 60 point target is only two points away, so we'll be giving it our all tomorrow."
Graham Kemp's recent policy on blooding Priory's youngsters has been stopped in its tracks, meanwhile, by the youngsters' run to the Hampshire Under-18 Cup final.
The under-18s take on Moneyfields at Fareham on Sunday and, following on from their Hampshire County Youth League (Division One) title win, Kemp has opted to let the club's blossoming youngsters go for the double rather than gain more senior experience.
Christchurch: (from) Collins, Dand, Taylor, Crutchley, Linpow, Woodford, Lawrence, Borthwick, Rideout, Burden, Burrows, Glasspool, Jenvey, Manning, Walliss, Cook.
Hamworthy United: (from) Peters, Gilbert, Grimason, Horlock, Walker, Dovell, Legg, Hubbard, Mutch, Byerley, Jackson, Middleton, Glavin, Crossin, Dean, Reavenall-Nuete, Raisbiani.
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