THERE are nine games left but Chesham United have already surpassed their points total from last season as they continue to harass Southern League Premier League leaders Hemel Hempstead all the way to the line.

Another good week, another two wins, and the gap between the two teams is down to six points with 27 still available to each.

Chesham boss Andy Leese said: “We’re on a good run, like we were last year when we finished the season with 18 games unbeaten.

“But we’re winning games as opposed to drawing them and that’s put us in a fantastic position.

“We’ve closed the gap, it’s down to six points now but we have to keep doing what we’re doing.

“We’ve surpassed last year’s total and we’ve still got nine games to go. It’s all about progress and to do what we’re doing, to keep grinding out wins, is fantastic.”

Chesham beat Corby 2-1 on Saturday with Chris Dillon and Drew Roberts scoring the goals, before a 3-1 win followed at Burnham on Tuesday night with Laurie Stewart joining the usual suspects on the scoresheet.

At the same time Hemel were only drawing 1-1 at home with Cambridge City.

It’s not the first time recently Hemel have come off the pitch having dropped points to find that Chesham have taken full advantage. In fact, they have taken 19 of the last 30 points on offer compared to Chesham’s 27. If that continues for the next six weeks, Chesham will be champions.

Leese said: “We won our last ten games last year, but we had to then because of what we’d done before.

“This year is different, we’re playing for something different and we’re playing better than we were earlier in the season [when they went 12 games unbeaten].

“Our front two are absolutely firing and Darren Purse has been tremendous at the back.

“His reading of the game is fantastic and his experience when we’ve been under pressure has made a big difference.

“It’s still Hemel’s to lose and they have to play a few teams in and around the top five – I think those games will decide the outcome.”

The leaders have to negotiate matches against the teams placed second, third, fifth and seventh in the table. Chesham have their own hills to climb though, starting tomorrow with a trip to fourth-placed Cambridge City.

Leese said: “They’re perennial promotion challengers, like we are, and it was a pretty even game against Hemel.

“But we couldn’t be going into it in better shape and it’s about what we’re about – we let teams worry about us when we’re in this mode.”