Carshalton Athletic boss Hayden Bird has admitted he has to pinch himself when he thinks how close his play-off chasing side came to relegation last season.

The Robins needed a final day 2-0 win over Tonbridge Angels to beat the drop on goal difference last season, but nine months on find themselves comfortably fifth in the Ryman League Premier Division table thanks to Saturday’s 2-1 win at Boreham Wood.

Richard Jolly’s weekend brace took his tally to 25 in all competitions this season and ensured Athletic remain unbeaten in 12 league encounters on the road.

Bird, who has made improving the club’s home record his new year’s resolution, has not ruled out pipping Staines Town and neighbours Sutton United to second place behind runaway leaders Dover Athletic.

And he reckons relegation from the Blue Square South in 2006 may have been just the tonic the club needed to get back on track.

“The most encouraging thing for me this season is that I think we can still improve. A couple of the lads are really progressing in terms of their football development and that is really important,” he said.

“When you think of where we were, we have progressed more than any other team in this league. We are considerably stronger as a club now.

“Sometimes clubs need the bit of breathing space that relegation brings. For the first time in a while, we are in a position to look up instead of over our shoulders.

“We lost our last two games prior to Saturday and hopefully that was our blip this season. I don’t think we have plateaued at all. Hopefully, we are just starting to kick on.”

Jolly, who has 20 league goals this campaign, stretched his lead at the top of the Ryman League Premier Division goal scoring charts to four with his brace.

And Bird reckons that is a tribute to the efforts of his squad.

“Richard gets the plaudits, but he is predominantly a goal scorer and you have to give fantastic credit to the rest of the guys for creating the opportunities in the first place,” he added.

Carshalton’s home form is among the worst in the division, with only three wins compared to nine on the road.

Bird is hoping Saturday’s trip to Tooting & Mitcham - who they beat 5-2 in the League Cup last week - can be the turning point.

“It is important to sort out our home form and hopefully we can start that process at the weekend,” he said.

“It is not going to be easy because they are fighting for their lives and will want to put the defeat to Heybridge Swifts behind them quickly.

“I’m sure they will stay up because they have a good team and good management. We have to be watchful of that.”

Carshalton’s next three fixtures: Jan 24 Tooting & Mitcham (h), Jan 27 AFC Hornchurch (h), Jan 31 Ashford Town (a).