KHALE Da Costa says he is determined to build on a run of recent starts and help Concord Rangers climb away from the relegation places.

The 23-year-old wide-man joined the National League South side in the summer from Hendon.

But he suffered a thigh strain shortly after making the move, with Da Costa finding himself on the fringes of the team.

He has now started the last three matches - against Tunbridge Wells and Dorking Wanderers in the FA Cup and Hampton & Richmond Borough in the league - and scored his first goal.

And he is pleased at how things are going.

“I am enjoying it a lot,” said Da Costa.

“It has been a late start as I got injured a few games in so I spent a bit of time getting back to full fitness.

“I had a quad strain and was ruled out for three weeks and it came at a bad time for me.

“When you are new at a club you want to knuckle down and these things often hold you back, but I have been able to settle now.

“I am always happy when I am playing and I am grateful that I have been given the chance as well,” he added. “That goes to the players and the coaches, who do a lot of things you don’t see which give you what you need to succeed.”

Da Costa netted his first goal with a header against Tunbridge Wells in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup.

He said a headed goal was not how he would have expected to break his Beach Boys duck, but he is hopeful of scoring more - starting with tomorrow’s visit of seventh-placed Havant & Waterlooville.

And they are a team Da Costa knows well.

“It will be hard, of course,” he said. “I played against them when I was at Harlow Town and Hendon so I know what they are about. They are physical but we fear no-one. We are on a good run and we feel positive.

“The cup run has been great for us. We feel sharp and it was great to get my first goal too. It is unusual for me to score a header and I have been getting stick for it but it was nice to score.”

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THE PREVIEW: Concord Rangers are hopeful of taking their cup form into the league as they bid to extricate themselves from the relegation zone.

Although the Beach Boys haven’t lost in their last three matches, their last win in the league was way back on August 19.

The recent draw at Hampton & Richmond Borough brought a six-match losing run to an end, with the Essex team only denied all three points because of a last-minute penalty.

Hard work and endeavour have earned Concord many points in season’s past, and more of the same will be required tomorrow against last season’s Isthmian Premier League champions.

Havant & Waterlooville occupy the final play-off place following promotion last season.

But they have been plagued by inconsistency recently, with their last seven fixtures reading WLWLWLW.

Concord will hope this run continues tomorrow.

MEN TO WATCH: Steve Cawley is Concord’s captain and talisman on the pitch, while his partnership with Lewis Taaffe is one Havant should be wary of.

As for Havant, striker Jason Prior is the man on form with seven goals to his name so far this season.

WHEN & WHERE: 3pm, tomorrow at The Aspect Arena, Thames Road, Canvey Island, SS8 0HH.

TEAM NEWS: Concord have been boosted by the return of Ben Greenhalgh, the club’s chief creator two seasons ago. The winger joined Maidstone in the summer of 2016 before being loaned out to Hemel Hempstead.

Tom Stephen was taken off with an injury against Hampton & Richmond and is a doubt.