GEORGE Sykes is targeting a continued upward trend of results after making his 100th appearance for Canvey Island.

The striker brought up three figures in Saturday’s 2-0 victory against Isthmian North leaders AFC Hornchurch.

Although not a scorer, Sykes has hit the back of the net 14 times this season and 45 in total while at the club - having first joined in March 2015.

Now in his fourth spell at the club, Sykes says he is pleased to have hit the landmark.

“I didn’t realise I was on 99 appearances before the Hornchurch game but it is a nice feeling,” said the 23-year-old striker.

“I have gone back a few times but it was great to mark the day with a win against Hornchurch and to send a message out to the league.

“I like playing my football here. I have kept coming back and I get on with (manager) Danny (Heale) really well and it is a good atmosphere. The guys are great and that is the case this year as well.

“We had a little bit of a blip but are back firing well now and we all want the Hornchurch win to be a catalyst for the games ahead.”

Sykes is the only ever-present in the Gulls side this season, having started all 25 matches in all competitions.

And although Sykes admits he wishes he was finding the net with more regularity at the moment - he has one goal in his last six outings - he says he is willing to forgo personal glory as the team strives for promotion this year.

“I haven’t scored as many recently but I will forget personal stuff if it means us getting promoted,” he said. “We need to give ourselves a chance. The main aim when I signed was to go up or at least get in the play-offs to give ourselves a chance.

“We play Cheshunt and Norwich United in our next two games (two of the bottom three) and it is a good chance for us to string some results together.

“But our results prove there are no easy games. We seem to step up against those around us and we need to now take that into all of our games.”

Canvey's match against Brentwood Town tonight has been postponed because of a frozen pitch.