CHESHAM United hope to carry their recent cup form into a crucial spell of Southern Premier League games.

They beat Beaconsfield in the Bucks Cup last week and on Tuesday knocked Chalfont St Peter out of the Red Insure Cup on penalties.

Next up is a run of four games against teams near them in the table and manager Andy Leese hopes to use this block of games to close the gap on the teams above them.

He said: “After the Burgess Hill defeat, we’re back on it but now we’ve got a really tough run of league games.

“We know what we’ve got to do. We need to have a winning run in the league and the challenge is there for the players.”

They are currently 13th, seven points behind fifth spot and with games in hand on most of the teams above them.

Leese said: “I think you can afford to be within nine or ten points at Christmas. Ideally it would be five or six but we’ve proved that we come strong in the second half of the season and I think we will again.”

Chesham begin at Chippenham tomorrow, but will go there in good spirits after Tuesday’s cup win.

Ryan Blake gave them the lead but Myles Stephenson equalised for Saints to set up penalties.

Toby Little, Dave Pearce, Simon Thomas and Darren Purse then scored from the spot for Chesham, while keeper Shane Gore saved Kurt Morlese’s penalty.

Leese said: “It was a tough night. Chalfont are a good side. Danny Edwards has got them well organised and they’ve got a few players that could play higher up the pyramid.

“They’ve beaten some good sides in the cups this season, including Hungerford from our own division, which is no mean feat, and we’re just pleased to get through.

“It’s a competition we’ve done well in over the years and we’d like to do well in it again.”