DESPITE being outside of the National League South play-off places by a point, Sam Ashford believes Concord Rangers’ push for the top seven is in their own hands.

The Beach Boys are currently eighth in the standings and closed the gap on seventh-placed Billericay Town thanks to a 3-0 win over bottom side Weston-super-Mare on Saturday.

Ashford - along with Jack Midson and Joan Luque - got his name on the scoresheet at the Aspect Arena and he is now confident of Concord pulling off a surprise by breaking into the play-off positions.

The former East Thurrock United man said: “Who would have thought at the start of the season that Concord would be challenging for a play-off place?

“Concord were probably just thinking ‘let’s try and get as high as we can’ but now we’re one point off the play-offs so it’s all to play for.

“We’ve got a nice run [of games until the end of the season].

“I think one of the harder games is against Woking but, apart from that, we should be looking to push on with the other games.

“It’s for us to lose now and I think we can get into the play-offs.”

Ashford has been in impressive form since making the move to Concord after a brief stint with local rivals East Thurrock.

And his wait for a first Beach Boys goal came to an end as Sammy Moore’s side saw off Weston-super-Mare at the weekend.

Ashford is hoping more goals will follow after breaking his duck.

“I’m so pleased to get my first goal for the club,” added Ashford.

“It’s been a while and I maybe snatched at it sometimes so it was nice to get an easy tap-in at the back post.

“I’ve been working hard but sometimes the ball just doesn’t fall for you in the right place.

“Once you get your first goal, you sort of relax a bit so I’m hoping the ball will start falling for me now.

“Hopefully I’ll push on now and get a couple more goals because it’s always nice to help the team.”

Ashford moved into the National League South - originally with John Coventry’s Rocks at Rookery Hill - after enjoying a fine start to the season with Witham Town in the Isthmian North.

Having scored eight Isthmian North goals for Witham this term, Ashford is now playing alongside former Football League stars including Midson and Danny Green.

Luque also had a short spell with League Two table-toppers Lincoln City, who are managed by ex-Concord boss Danny Cowley, after making an impact in non-league football with Heybridge Swifts.

And Ashford feels that playing alongside his experienced Concord team-mates will improve his game.

“I’ve played at a lower level and I now appreciate the better players I am around,” admitted Ashford.

“I’ll make a run, they’ll see it a lot more and it’s so much better.”