Leiston winger Joe Francis says the Blues are determined not to let this season go to waste.

The Blues, who led the Ryman Premier table earlier in the season, have lost their last four games in the league and are now five points outside the play-offs with 14 games to play.

However, they have games in hand on every team above them – four in the case of Wingate & Finchley, Needham Market and Tonbridge Angels – so remain very much in contention, despite their recent form.

Their latest defeat came in midweek, a 2-1 home defeat to Merstham, which was a frustrating result to take, given the way the Blues played.

“We have had a great season as a group of players and we are not going to let that go to waste,” said Francis, whose team travel to second-bottom Hendon tomorrow, a team with one home win from 16 games this term.

“There is still a really good feeling about the place and we were unlucky to lose on Tuesday night.

“We battered them (Merstham) and they made two first-half changes and completely changed their formation.

“We hit the bar and post and were eventually beaten by two wonder-goals.

“It is not as though we are getting carved open, we are just not getting the rub of the green.”

It’s a far cry from earlier in the season, the Blues put together a six-game winning run at the start of the campaign, and a five-game winning run in January.

With that in mind, Francis, who has scored 14 and made 11 goals this season, added: “We have not lost confidence in ourselves and this is the strongest squad I have ever been involved in during my time at Leiston.

“We have scored 80 goals this season. At the minute it’s just not falling for us but, as soon as we get one win, I am sure more will follow.”

After tomorrow’s game at Hendon, Leiston face two potentially pivotal games in their quest for the play-offs.

They host third-top Tonbridge on Tuesday, before another home game against leaders, Bognor Regis, next Saturday.

“We will take each game as it comes and there is no point looking too far ahead, but we are still in a good position for the play-offs.”