There is a growing feeling among Crawley's players that this could be the year when they finally fulfill their Conference ambitions, according to defender Ben Judge.

Reds came from behind to beat Merthyr Tydfil 2-1 last Saturday and returned to the dressing room to discover that Tamworth, Moor Green and today's opponents Weymouth, all rivals for the title, had lost.

There was no chance for them to improve on their four-point lead when the New Year's Day game against Folkestone was postponed as the big freeze wiped out the entire Dr Martens League programme.

Judge believes the wins over Welling and Merthyr in their last two games could turn out to be two of their most important results of the season.

He said: "I think both games have shown the character and determination we have got in the side.

"Against Welling were were 2-1 down with 20 minutes left and down to ten men. If we'd have lost again after the Kettering defeat a fortnight ago it would have been a real blow to the confidence.

"But we came back to win 3-2 and then against Merthyr we came from behind again and got back into the dressing room to find that things had gone our way with the other results.

"The boys were buzzing when the scores came through, there is a real feeling that we've got a big chance of going up."

Merthyr are struggling in the bottom three but Judge was not surprised that they proved so hard to break down.

"When I was with Croydon in the Ryman League the top sides knew there would be three or four games every season which they would win comfortably.

"But in this league there are no easy matches and I think teams are going to keep dropping points. The side who are most consistent will probably end up winning it.

"We are happy to be in the position we are in. Teams have got games in hand, but we have got points on the board. It's the best thing."

Judge played alongside Lee Doherty when he joined Reds in October, but Keith Sharman has been his defensive partner in recent games. The 24-year-old schoolteacher has enjoyed playing with both of them.

"I'd never met Lee before coming here but we get on well. He does a lot of talking and organising.

"I'd played against Keith when he was with Bromley and knew him a little bit.

"But there is such a great spirit in the camp at the moment that you don't mind as long as you're in the side.

"Competition for places is there throughout the team which is another important factor and the goals are being shared around."

Boss Billy Smith is likely to give some of his fringe first-teamers a run on Tuesday night when Eastern Division Burnham are the visitors in the second round of the League Cup.

But Judge, for one, isn't ready for a rest just yet.

"I think I'm playing my best football for two years so I want to play in every game at the moment. We're still in a few cups which are there to be won. What we want to avoid is having a backlog of matches in April and May, but I don't think that will be a problem this season."