GLYNN STEPHENS says he is confident his Dorking squad has now got what it takes to pick up results against the big boys in the Combined Counties Football League Premier Division.
The Chicks are still struggling in 20th in the division, but with back-to-back league wins behind them, Stephens says his side are going into a tough festive period with some renewed confidence and belief.
Dorking are on a run of playing three top half sides within the space of 11 days, with games against Molesey and Windsor to come after the Chicks scheduled match away at South Park yesterday (Wednesday).
But Stephens says he feels his side is much better equipped to compete against these teams now, following the arrival of several new faces in recent weeks.
"The good news is we are now in a more competitive place than we have been before," he said.
"We have got a tough run of games at the moment, where we are probably hoping to get something from the games rather than expecting to.
"But we are looking beyond that, with no disrespect to them, it is the games like Ash United, Sandhurst Town and Chessington & Hook where we have got to look to get wins."
Recent arrival Tommy Harper has been the pick of the new signings, with seven goals in his first two games for the club, which saw the Chicks score ten goals in two wins.
However, it is at the back where Stephens is hoping to see some improvements, with the latest arrivals both centre backs from higher leagues.
Dylan Merchant and Luke Farrar have joined the club from Tooting & Mitcham and Sutton United respectively, with the latter coming in for an initial one-month loan following a year out with a cruciate ligament injury.
And Stephens said he hopes both will have an impact over the coming weeks.
He said: "We have been in the market for a centre back.
"We have Luke Hackett, but we are conscious of the fact that we are not quite the same team when he is not available.
"Dwayne Townsend has done okay, but we felt we possibly needed some added strength in that position, which is why we brought in Dylan [Merchant].
"B ut like London buses, we were given the chance to bring Luke in too and now I have four centre backs to choose from, which is a good position to be in."
Meanwhile, Dorking will have to reschedule their trip to face Guernsey in the league after the match on Saturday was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
