Buoyant Tony Choules declared Uxbridge to be back in the hunt for the Southern League Division One South and West title after watching his side thrash favourites Truro City 5-2, writes Scott Newman.

The Reds looked out of the hunt for the sole automatic promotion place following a disastrous start which saw them take just one point from their opening 15.

But Saturday's win, rated by Choules among the top performances of his Honeycroft reign, coupled with the 3-2 midweek defeat of another of the front runners Didcot Town, convinced Choules he can still challenge for top spot. The Reds have banked 17 points from the last 21 and that's why the manager still believes, when after five games it looked like the play-offs were the best he could hope for.

"We've been threatening to do that, said Choules. "We lost to AFC Hayes in the league 3-2 and quite rightly so, and a comment was made to me that if I thought this squad was good enough I was kidding myself and those words have got to be haunting that person because apart from Danny Tilbury that's the same squad.

"I knew we were capable of performing like that once we gelled.

"We're now getting into our stride and if we continue the improvement and we're in the top eight come Christmas, traditionally we have a better second half to the season so the supporters will be in for a damn good ride."

Uxbridge had no problems against mid-table opposition last year but they struggled against teams at the top and bottom. They seem now to have found the answer to one half of that equation and tonight (Wednesday) they have the chance to solve the other half away to struggling Taunton Town.

On Saturday Uxbridge turn their attention to cup action when they host Dorchester Town in the FA Trophy and Choules is eyeing a shock against the Blue Square South strugglers - albeit from the stands as he completes a two-match touchline ban courtesy of the FA, having been sent off in September's FA Cup defeat by Heybridge Swifts.

"I think a shock is very realistic," he said on Saturday. "Cup football is on the day.

"On today's performance I could say all 11 of my players could be potential match winners but Mark Nicholls is probably playing the best football of his non-league career and the players around him are thriving."

The only downside to Saturday was the six yellow cards Uxbridge collected, earning them an automatic £250 fine.

The money will not hurt them so much as future suspensions could as the cards mount up, despite Choules insisting he now has plenty of quality in his 26-man squad.

He was also keen to point out that the reserves are riding high in the Sub-urban Premier League in fourth place and the youth team is top of the Allied Counties East Division.