Walsh believes Bognor can make impression on play-off race

Mason Walsh in action for the Rocks in the win over Carshalton / Picture by Tommy McMillan

Jack Pearce's side bid to bounce back from a 3-0 defeat at Brightlingsea Regent on Tuesday when they go to Burgess Hill Town on Saturday.

And flyer Walsh, 23, says the side go into the Sussex derby with the Hillians in the firm belief that they can snatch a win to improve their league standing and keep alive the hopes of a promotion through the play-offs.

The Rocks have been warned by Burgess Hill boss Simon Wormull that they will come up against a very different outfit than the one who were hammered 8-0 in the reverse fixture. Going into the clash, the visitors sit in seventh spot in the table while their hosts are fourth from bottom.

Walsh, who scored in the rout back in October in which Tommy Scutt also hit a hat-trick, said: "We know they have improved since then and have picked up some good results along the way but we go into the game believing we can win. There are lots of positives from our results overall of late.

"Despite the loss at Brightlingsea, the confidence and mood within the camp is good and I think there is more to come from us and see no reason why we can't be there or thereabouts come the end of the season. Promotion has to be the aim and the play-offs give the teams at the top hope of that and we can be in that group of teams."

Walsh is still finding his full fitness after the setback of a niggling calf injury but he has delivered some dazzling displays of late and has picked up his fair share of man-of-the-match awards along the way.

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The attacker, who is the son of former England, Liverpool, Spurs and Pompey ace Paul Walsh, joined the club in August after a stint in the National Premier Soccer League in the USA for New Orleans Jesters. He began his career at Bournemouth before moving to Altrincham, Hednesford Town and Salisbury.

He added: "I get a bit of stick from the lads about being man of the match sometimes but it's all good fun. As an attacker you get the chance to run with the ball and I've always enjoyed dribbling, it's what got me my contract with Bournemouth. I am still looking for ways to improve my end product and working on finding ways to do that within the team but I am more than happy with my progress so far but think there is more to come.”