RUSSELL Bedford says the spirit in the squad at Chipstead has always been good as they fight to stave off relegation.

Speaking after a first win in the Ryman League Division One South in eight league games on Saturday, the captain also described what a difference striker Liam Wright has made since his arrival.

Unfortunately, victory over Horsham YMCA on Saturday was followed by a catalogue of injuries which hampered Chipstead at leaders Croydon Athletic on Monday, where they lost 3-0.

Wright himself did not start Monday's game because of injury, but played the last 20 minutes.

But Bedford and boss Mark Tompkins are convinced the team can stay away from the bottom two relegation spots.

Chipstead had failed to win since losing narrowly to AFC Wimbledon in the Surrey Senior Cup quarter-finals, a game preceded by four wins out of five games.

Bedford admitted: "It's the smaller games, the league games, people don't always get themselves up for.

"We're a high tempo team in the warm-up and we don't always take it into games."

However, Chipstead have never stopped believing they are capable of winning.

"The one thing that has always been good is the morale. We know that as a team, as a group, we can't rely on anyone else. We've got to look to win more than we draw, but we want to win."

Striker Wright scored his fifth goal in as many games and had a hand in the second as Chipstead beat Horsham YMCA 2-0 to virtually guarantee Ryman status.

"Liam's a very good player," said Bedford, whose side have been coping without injured striker and captain Scott Simpson, who was out with a calf injury.

"He offers something different to Scott. Sean Rivers you know is going to win headers.

"But it's good to know, from a defender's point of view, you've got someone quick to run onto the ball. He's good in the changing room, too.

"We showed a lot of spirit and in the second half started to move the ball around a bit."

Tompkins feels Saturday's win has set the side up to pull out of trouble, adding: "I think we need three points out of four games, then mathematically the bottom two won't be able to catch us."

However, he admits the side are down to the "bear bones".

"Hopefully we will beat Ramsgate on Saturday and Walton Casuals and Eastbourne lose, and then they won't be able to catch us. It will be a hard game and we've got a few injuries."

Defender Louis Hollingsworth missed Monday's game, in which striker Sean Rivers broke a bone in his shoulder.

Wright and Scott Simpson (both calf) are "50-50" to face the Rams on Saturday, Tompkins said.

Recent additions Callum McLean and Craig Pitterson, both midfielders, both have groin injuries.

But Tompkins remains optimistic. "We went to Ramsgate earlier in the season and got a point, with a far weaker team than we've got now."

After Saturday's home game with mid-table Ramsgate, Chips travel to Sittingbourne next Tuesday, before travelling to Dulwich a week on Saturday.

The last game is at home to Eastbourne a week later, and Tompkins has been keen to avoid the scenario of having to get anything from it to stay up.

Chipstead remained in the division last year despite finishing in the bottom two, because there were not enough clubs with the right facilities to meet ground grading requirements.

However, this year Combined Counties League leaders North Greenford and Sussex League leaders Whitehawk, among others, both meet the standards.