If Lewes clinch the division one south title on Saturday, one of the first calls Steven King receives is likely to be from Francis Vines.

The double-winning Crawley Town manager is great friends with Lewes boss King, whose side will be declared champions if they win at Croydon and other results go their way.

Vines and King have emerged as arguably the brightest young managers in Sussex this season and it is little coincidence.

King said: "I speak to Franny every couple of days.

"We have a lot in common. They took a chance on both of us at the beginning of the season because we hadn't much experience between us.

"It has worked out for him and hopefully it will work out for me.

"We bounce ideas off each other and we are always talking. We have known each other for ten to 15 years but it is only this season we have become really close.

"I have tried to pick him up when he has had rough patches and he has done the same with me."

Vines has also given King a player who has become crucial to their title challenge.

The Crawley manager's nephew, Joe Vines, has been outstanding in defence for the Rooks since joining on dual-registration forms earlier in the season.

He was not considered ready for the Dr Martens premier division but has proved himself with Lewes.

Vines and fellow defender Ochea Ipka, a recent signing from tomorrow's opponents Croydon, have been inspirational in the last three games.

King, whose side had appeared to have hit the buffers with three successive defeats just before Easter, said: "When we lost Marc Cable through injury we didn't have any centre halves. We played other people there who were out of position.

"Since Joe came back (from injury) and Ochea came in we haven't lost a game.

"They have been marvellous because they defend as defenders. They have given us balance and we have gone from strength to strength.

"Joe has all the ingredients. He has pace, is good in the air and aggressive.

"We spotted Ochea playing against us for Croydon. Jimmy Coleman (Lewes coach) knew him from the past. He was like a rock for Croydon, left-footed, quick and put his head on everything so we put in a seven-day approach."

If Lewes win their final two games, they will be champions. If Worthing drop points tomorrow away to Hampton and Richmond in a clash of the third and fourth-placed sides, then only second-placed Windsor would still be able to catch the Rooks but they would have to make up a goal difference of 15 in their final two matches.

Complicated? Not really. Lewes now look odds-on to win the title which would launch them into a series of play-offs for a place in the new Conference south next season.

That would begin on Monday, May 3 away to the division one north champions, who will almost certainly be Yeading, and would follow with away games on May 5 and May 8.

If Lewes won all three, they would secure a place in a division alongside Bognor and possibly Eastbourne Borough next season.

There are two extra reasons for Lewes to seal the title tomorrow. Firstly, chairman Terry Parris is celebrating his 50th birthday and secondly, providing the league has been won, King will carry out his season-long threat of playing in the Rooks' final game of the season at home to Banstead next Saturday.

That, surely, would get Vines on the phone again.