Sutton United striker Bradley Woods-Garness has put off a knee operation to play a part in his club’s Ryman League Premier Division play-off run-in.

Boss Paul Doswell’s battle worn men - playing their fourth game in eight days - earned a 2-1 triumph at Canvey Island on Saturday to move a step closer to a top five finish.

Woods-Garness, who needs surgery to repair a torn cartilage, defied what looked to be a season-ending injury to bag two in last week’s 6-0 Surrey Senior Cup win over Croydon Athletic, persuading Doswell to deploy him again in the weekend win.

The Gander Green Lane resources are looking stretched for the run-in with Steve Perkins, Francis Quarm, Matt Hann and Sam Gargan all struggling for full-fitness.

Perkins - himself struggling with a knee ligament injury - is working overtime in a bid to get himself fit for the season run-in that could end with a promotion and cup double.

And defender Karim El-Salahi, who thinks Sutton still need four points to be sure of a play-off spot, reckons that sort of spirit will carry Doswell’s injury struck squad through to the end of the season in fine form.

“Until it is mathematically certain we are in the play-offs, no-one is going to rest. We just want to get the points on the board,” he said.

“The team spirit is something else at the moment. Everyone feels as though they are part of something special here.

“We are at the stage where players simply don’t want to miss games. We want to carry the momentum through to the play-offs and people are prepared to play through knocks to do it.

“Eveyone wants to play for the manager and if we can keep the momentum going we will be a stronger team going into the play-offs - irrespective of any injuries.”

Sutton face another busy week with trips to Harrow Borough and Cray Wanderers on the horizon before next Thursday’s Surrey Senior Cup semi-final against Combined Counties Premier League side Badshot Lea.

But El-Salahi believes the club’s cup exploits, will not distract the squad from the task in hand.

“The league is definitely the priority and we have got to block out everything else,” he added.

“It is up to the manager, but I don’t think it is worth risking players in the cup if it means they aren’t fit for the play-offs.

“We’ve got some good young players elsewhere at the club, so whatever side we put out will be strong enough.”

Sutton’s last five games: Apr 15 Billericay Town (a), 17 Harrow Borough (a), 20 Cray Wanderers (a), 22 Badshot Lea (SSC, h), 24 Billericay Town (h).