MARLOW FC have scaled up their ambitions to include a chase for the play-offs after they won their fourth Southern League Central game from the last five at the weekend.

They needed a late penalty to beat bottom side AFC Hayes 1-0, but manager Mark Bartley says it was a crucial three points for a depleted squad that ended the game with nine men.

Nathan Ashton was dismissed just before the hour after receiving his second yellow card, and Jordace Holder-Spooner went late on.

With the Blues playing up the slope in the second half, they had to withstand a ten-minute aerial bombardment before escaping with all the points.

Bartley said: “Saturday was difficult. We had five or six mixing and it would have been easy to go to bottom of the league, on that pitch, with the rain pouring down, and not get a result.

“But I’m pleased with the boys at the moment.”

Jamal Braker scored the only goal that mattered after 88 minutes when he converted a penalty, adding AFC Hayes to a recent list of scalps including Potters Bar Town, Hanwell Town, Bedford and Bedworth.

Bartley said: “If you can put four or five results together in this league you really can push yourself up the table.

“Conversely, a few bad results can have the opposite effect so I try not to worry about it too much.

“We had a difficult spell earlier in the season, but that was down to injuries. We’ve got people back since then and have picked up some good results.

“The challenge now is to maintain that momentum and push on for the last play-off spot.

“Other squads are deeper than ours, but if we can keep away from serious injuries we fancy ourselves to be one of the four or five teams chasing that last play-off spot.”

Marlow go to St Ives tomorrow and Beaconsfield SYCOB are up against Barton Rovers.