LITTLE Oakley hero Sam Eldridge says he and his team-mates must “do the business” now and win the Essex and Suffolk Border League title.

The Acorns are five points clear at the top of the premier division after Saturday’s 1-0 victory against Harwich and Parkeston.

They have one hand on the trophy – although a slip-up in their last fixture at Hatfield Peverel could open the door for Gas Recreation, who still have two games left against West Bergholt and Coggeshall Town Reserves.

And Eldridge, who scored his side’s late winner on derby day, says the players have to knuckle down now and get the job done at Peverel on April 8.

“It couldn’t be sweeter than scoring a last-minute winner against your local rivals,” said the 26-year-old.

“It was such a big result, especially as it means the title is within our grasp.

“We’ve just got to do the business in our last game now.

“That’s what we’ve been pushing for all season.

“The main aim was finishing in the top five, but as players we always wanted to push on and win the league.

“We’ve shown real consistency.

“We’ve only dropped two points at home all season and only had two draws and two losses overall, so our form has been very good.”

Oakley will be playing Thurlow Nunn League football next season, having applied for promotion back in December.

They needed to finish in the top five – which they have achieved with ease – and their ground passed its final grading inspection on Wednesday.

Long-serving Eldridge, who progressed through the youth ranks into the senior set-up, believes everyone at the club is now ready for the challenge of step six football.

“It would be lovely to bow out of this league with a league and cup double,” he said, with one eye on tomorrow’s Knockout Cup semi-final at home to Coggeshall Town Reserves (kick-off 3pm).

“Every player wants to play at the highest level they possibly can.

“It’s an exciting prospect and I can see us doing pretty well, with the players we’ve got and especially if we add a few as well.

“As a club, we’re ready for the next level.

“This group of players have played in this league for a long while and been together a long while too.

“We’re up for the challenge.

“I’ve been here for several years and seen the progression the club has made.

“We’ve come a long way, on the pitch and off it, and the future looks bright.

“The chairman and backroom staff have to take a lot of credit and hopefully, as players, we can do our bit and help push the club on.”

Meanwhile, Oakley boss Sean Tynan has praised Eldridge for stepping up to the plate in the absence of unavailable striker Jordan Heath.

“You need that one person to step up when it’s a tight game and Sammy did that for us on Saturday,” he said.

“I’m really happy for him, because he’s been in and out of the team all season.

“I challenged him and the others because we were obviously without Jordan.

“I asked if anyone else could step up to the plate in his absence.

“For long periods, it didn’t really look like that was happening but we dug deep and got our goal.

“Now we’re on for a league and cup double and it’s within our hands.

“We’ve already beaten Coggeshall once here at the Memorial Ground.

“They narrowly beat us away, in a midweek game, but even then we were the better team. It’s going to be another tight game.”