SHARP-SHOOTING Oli Coker remains confident Southend United will soon start to work their way up the National League table.
Blues head to Woking tonight sitting 16th in the standings.
But Coker is certain the Shrimpers still have what it takes to secure a top seven finish.
“I think we can get play-offs,” said Coker.
“I think it’s still quite tight and hopefully we can put a good run together with positive performances and results.
“You take it game by game and look to build.
“We’ve had some changes and it’s about getting used to how everyone plays but we’re getting there and want to try and get a run together.”
Blues, who sit seven points below the play-offs, drew 2-2 with title chasing Forest Green Rovers on Saturday.
And Coker took plenty of positives from how the Shrimpers twice fought back to secure a share of the spoils.
“We can definitely take some positives from the game on Saturday,” said Coker.
“We showed really good fighting spirit and going toe to toe with the team top of the league is something we can take moving forward.”
Coker made sure of a point for Blues with his third goal in four games.
And the 21-year-old is keen to keep on hitting the back of the net.
“The gaffer and the management team always speak about eights getting in the box and getting around the area to get shots on goal,” said Coker.
“Hopefully they keep falling for me and I can keep putting them in.
“I don’t really put pressure on myself with any targets or anything like that but I’d obviously like to get more and beat my tally of six from last season.
“Working day in day out on that and the positions we get into helps with that but I always scored a few goals in the youth team so hopefully I can keep on doing it.”
In fact, so strong is Coker’s finishing that he often featured as a striker in his youth.
“I started off as a striker but I wasn’t the quickest so I went to midfield,” said Coker.
“In fairness my strikes haven’t been too clean recently but they’re going in so that’s all that matters so hopefully I can keep it going.”
Coker now has four goals in 12 appearances this season and will look to work his way onto the score-sheet against Woking this evening.
However, the midfielder is expecting a difficult 90 minutes.
“It’s another tough game and it’s always tough there,” said Coker.
“We’ve got to stand up to it, play our game and play the way we did on Saturday.
“If we do that hopefully we’ll get the three points.”
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