Rob Carter is on a hot streak for the Foxes

Hot-shot Rob Carter fired his eighth goal in as many games as Ilford beat Thamesmead Town 1-0 to climb out of the Ryman One North relegation zone – and boss Colin Walton believes the course of his team’s season could have panned out differently had the striker been fit throughout the campaign.

Carter missed the first half of the season with a back injury, but, fit again, scored from the penalty spot in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Cheshunt and netted again on Wednesday night to secure back-to-back wins.

During Carter’s prolific eight-game period the Foxes have earned four of their five wins for the season and their subsequent survival hopes have been severely boosted.

And Walton believes had Carter been available to him throughout the year, his side could already be safe.

“Things would have been different,” he said. “If you look back at our results this season we have lost games narrowly and his goals could have made that difference.

“We signed Rob in the summer and he scored two goals in a pre-season game.

“But he’s had a long-standing back problem and we’ve hardly been able to use him since. It’s only in the last 12 games where he’s been fit.

“If Rob can get in to double figures with us he has done well. The last player to do it was Troy Hewitt, so he’s in good company.”