Steven King will unveil his latest Lewes signing tonight in a game which could make or break their season.

The Rooks take on second-placed Salisbury City at the Dripping Pan with King warning a defeat would end their play-off hopes.

Despite being ranked as outsiders because of the number of games they have played, Lewes still believe they can force their way into the top five if they can continue their excellent recent run.

King's men have won four of their last five games, are unbeaten in eight matches and have lost just two of their last 15.

Left-back Matthew Hislop, who made one first team appearance for Queens Park Rangers, makes his debut tonight after joining on a noncontract basis until the end of the season with King knowing there is no margin for error.

He said: "We need maximum points.

I believe we need at least 70 points, possibly 73, to make the play-offs and that means more or less winning every game.

"All the time we feel we have got a chance, we have got to believe it and go for it.

"Our home form is good this year - we have only lost three at home. We have only lost two of our last 15 matches and we have got to keep winning and see where that takes us."

King already has half an eye on next season and wants to take a look at Hislop, who arrives at the Dripping Pan with a good pedigree.

The 20-year-old began his career at Arsenal where he was a regular in the under-17 and under-19 Academy sides before switching to QPR in March 2005.

He is also a former England Schoolboy international where he played alongside the likes of Jerome Thomas (Charlton), Mark Noble (West Ham) and Fabrice Muamba (Birmingham).

Hislop made his Rangers debut in a 2-1 win over Leicester at the Walkers Stadium in September 2005 but suffered a serious ankle injury in the second half and never played for the first team again.

After being transfer listed by Gary Waddock at the end of last season, he remained under new boss John Gregory but was recently released early from his two-year contract.

King said: "He is an out and out leftback who is 6ft and spent two years at QPR and Arsenal before that.

"He played against us in pre-season and is with us until the end of the season.

The incentive is to earn himself a deal for next season."

With Lewis Hamilton, the only recognised left-back at Lewes, currently sidelined with a thigh injury, Hislop will go straight into the side tonight.

Fellow defender Steve Robinson is again missing as he completes a twomatch suspension while midfielder Gary Holloway plays his last game before starting a two-match ban of his own which rules him out of the Sussex Senior Cup semi-final with Worthing on Wednesday and the Conference south clash with Welling next Saturday.

Striker Paul Booth will look to continue a remarkable sequence of scoring which has seen him net nine goals in his last five games.

As well as snapping up Hislop, King has been looking at other options to bolster his squad for the run-in although there will be no further signings before tonight's game with a Salisbury side short on strikers.

The visitors' main frontman Matt Tubbs is suspended, recent signing Marvin Brown has a groin injury while another forward Paul Sales is also sidelined.

In addition, goalkeeper Ryan Clarke is doubtful with injury. However, Salisbury will give a debut to former Blackburn midfielder Jerome Watt, who signed on loan yesterday from Northampton.