WESTCLIFF’S director of rugby Rick Compton is confident his side can stay towards the top of the London & SE Premier Division standings this season.

Westcliff - who have been awarded the Echo sports stars of the month award - have started the campaign in stunning style, winning eight of their 10 matches so far.

But Compton is determined to keep the good run of results going, starting with tomorrow’s trip to Bedford Athletic.

“We’re really pleased with the way it’s gone so far,” said Compton.

“It’s probably as good as we could’ve hoped for and better than we expected to be honest.

“It’s been very encouraging but we do feel we can compete up there and when the nitty gritty comes around come March and April we’ll see where we go from there.”

Westcliff finished sixth in the standings last season but currently sit second in the table with 39 points from their first 10 games.

However, Westcliff’s main goal this term was to build on what happened last term.

“We set out wanting to improve on last season and to get into the top three or four, who will be involved in the latter stages of the season,” said Compton.

“We’ve been positioned well so far but it’s still early stages.”

Westcliff are just three points behind league leaders Wimbledon and have achieved their success through promoting players from their own youth system.

Seventeen of their 18 man squad last time out came through the ranks at the Gables.

And that adds to Compton’s delight.

“It’s very satisfying but it’s the way we do things here,” said Compton.

“In recent years it’s been a very successful policy.

“It takes a lot of work but, fortunately, we have the people here who are prepared to do it.

“We’re playing sides in and around us who invest a lot more in rugby and the squads they compile.

“They have better resources than us but we’re doing pretty well the way we’re going.”

And Westcliff have already shown good strength in depth this season.

“We have been tested because we’ve had more injuries than last season and we’ve dealt with them on the whole,” said Compton.

“Week on week we’ve had to call people in and they’ve all done a great job.”

Westcliff will now be bidding for more of the same at 12th-placed Bedford, who have won three times in 10 outings.

>The Echo's sports stars of the month award is sponsored by Paul Robinson.