Paul Hobbs says Sun Sports must keep winning games against the teams around them if they are to avoid being a yo-yo team and achieve his top-half aim.

After winning promotion from Spartan South Midlands Division One two years ago, Hobbs’ men secured an impressive fifth-place finish in their first season at Step Five.

But the Bellmount Wood Avenue outfit have made a stuttering start this season and currently find themselves in 14th – nine points clear of the relegation zone and only three off the top half.

Saturday sees Sun go to 11th-placed Wembley, a side they beat 1-0 away from home earlier in the season, and Hobbs has underlined the importance of beating sides in the mini league around them in order to kick on and move up the standings.

“I don’t want to be one of those teams who finish fifth one year, 17th the next, in the top half again the year after that,” said Hobbs ahead of Saturday’s game.

“We’ve looked at it and we think there’s a top five who will be there or thereabouts. You have to apply to join the Southern League around Christmas time and if those top five apply to join then they will spend more to achieve it so they’ll probably be out of reach.”

Against all odds, Sun led the Premier Division for a good chunk of last season before falling away to be overtaken by eventual winners Kings Langley.

And Hobbs believes the momentum gained from promotion helped his side overachieve last term.

He said: “I think because we got promoted in my first year, last year we were playing really well off the back of that and punched above our weight.

“If we can finish there or thereabouts, I will be happy,” he continued. “A top half finish will see me happy

to be honest; it’s just a case of us competing week in, week out.

“I don’t want to make it all about money but I’ve got Joe Kelly unavailable this weekend because he’s on holiday. If you’re paying then you’ve got that over them a little bit – that can be the difference.”

Kelly was on target on Wednesday evening as Sun knocked Hertford Town out of the Herts Challenge Cup 3-1 in a replay – after the initial tie was lost to heavy fog – to reach the second round for the first time in the club’s history.

He opened the scoring after just 12 seconds – shaving three seconds off his opener against St Margaretsbury in August – before Sam Warrell added the third. Hitchin await in the next round.

Oxhey Jets were brought back down to earth with a bump on Wednesday as they exited the Herts Charity Shield 5-2 at the hands of Hadley in Bob Wyatt’s second match in charge.

Third-placed Berkhamsted have stuttered this week, losing 1-0 to London Colney on Tuesday after picking up a big win, 2-1, over second-placed AFC Dunstable on Saturday.

Leverstock Green were knocked out of the Charity Shield 4-2 at home to Welwyn Garden City.

After Tring Athletic boss Julian Robinson stood down, caretaker Ian Richardson oversaw a 4-1 loss at Wembley on Saturday before beating St Margaretsbury 2-1 in extra-time of the Charity Shield on Tuesday.