Brady Stone is hopeful his Ely City players can continue their impressive form against the region’s top sides ahead of a tricky league and cup double-header.

The Robins host Thurlow Nunn Premier Division promotion hopefuls Felixstowe & Walton on Saturday before going head-to-head with higher-level Cambridge City in the final of the Invitation Cup on Monday night, and Stone hopes his side can turn in performances similar to the heroic displays that took them to the last 16 of the FA Vase.

“We’ve only taken one point from our last three away games at sides in the bottom three,” he said.

“That’s something we’ve looked at going into next season. When we do play sides higher up than us we perform well – just look at the FA Vase.

“The lads deserve a cup final. If we can perform like we have done against some of the bigger sides then there’s no reason why we can’t win.”

The Robins go into this week’s games on the back of a disappointing Easter weekend that saw them take just one point from a possible six.

Stone’s men surrendered a one-goal advantage to draw 1-1 at struggling Wivenhoe Town on Saturday, before coming unstuck to a late penalty in another high-scoring defeat to local rivals Newmarket Town last night.

Tom Williams and Kelvin Enaro had given Ely a 2-1 lead in Suffolk, but Newmarket stormed back to snatch all three points courtesy of an 82nd-minute spot-kick.

“It has been a strange couple of games,” Stone admitted.

“We didn’t play well on Saturday. Alex Theobald got injured in the warm-up which didn’t help and we found it hard to get going.

“But then on Monday we were fantastic. We took the game to them and deserved at least a point.

“What we’ve learnt is that we have to start being braver against the sides towards the bottom of the league.

“We play well against teams who sit back and let you play like Newmarket, but need to be braver against teams who work hard.”