Neil Jenkins has revealed how a new fitness regime has helped him make a flying start to the season.

The Eastbourne Borough defender altered his diet and begun working out in his spare time over the summer after struggling to cope with the demands of the Blue Square premier last season.

The arrival of seven new signings during the summer convinced the 27-year-old he had to change his attitude or risk losing his place in the side.

The results so far have been impressive with Jenkins capping a man-of-the-match display against AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday with a sensational winning goal.

Jenkins said: “Last season I was not really looking after myself, eating the wrong sort of stuff and putting on a bit of weight as a result.

“When you are playing against full-time teams you cannot afford to be out of shape and I was really struggling in the last 15 or 20 minutes of games last season.

“Normally I don’t do anything over the summer and just worry about my fitness when we come back for pre-season training but I decided I needed to do something about it and really knuckled down.

“I’ve been eating the right things and doing a bit of training in my spare time and it seems to be working. It is probably the fittest I have been in a long time.

“I’m not the only one though. The club has brought in a lot of new signings during the summer and everyone is looking over their shoulder to see who might take their place.

“The club is moving forward so quickly that nobody is safe unless they are performing on a regular basis. We didn’t have a bad season last year but we’ve all had to buck our ideas up.

“This is the strongest squad we’ve ever had at the club and I think we could even sneak into the play-offs. There is no point playing football unless you think you can be successful so that has got to be our target. Histon have done it and they are part-time so why can’t we?”

Jenkins’ 25-yard rocket against Wimbledon was only his fifth goal in 138 games for Borough and has already laid down a marker for goal of the season.

It also means the feisty former Southend defender is in the unusual situation of having more goals than yellow cards to his name.

That is unlikely to continue for long but Jenkins insists improving his disciplinary record is also a priority after collecting 12 bookings in 45 league games last term.

Jenkins said: “When I was suspended towards the end of last season it gave me a chance to take a step back and see how I could improve.

“I have always loved a tackle and that will never change but I am not having a go at referees anymore because getting wound up can affect the way you perform.

“I seem to have a bit of a reputation and the referee on Tuesday came up to me in the warm up and warned me not to give him loads of abuse. That is out of order but he apologised after the game which shows I am calming down a bit.”

Jenkins may not have to deal with winger Lee Tomlin tomorrow when Rushden and Diamonds visit Priory Lane.

Tomlin tormented the left-back as Diamonds completed the double over Borough last season but limped off during the goalless draw with York City on Tuesday night with a calf problem.

Kurt Robinson is also a doubt with an ankle problem but Simon Downer is available again after being sent off in the opening day defeat to Salisbury while Borough hope to have midfielder Simon Weatherstone and striker Nathan Crabb available for the first time this season.

Eastbourne: Knowles, Austin, Baker, Pullan, Jenkins, Weatherstone, Brown, Armstrong, M.Crabb, Enver-Marum, Taylor. Subs from: Jordan, Elphick, Johnson, Atkin, N. Crabb, Smart, Smith.

Rushden: Roberts, Osano, Corcoran, Stuart, Robinson, Cousins, Wolleaston, Porter, Tomlin, O'Connor, Farrell. Subs from: McNamara, Pattison, Byrne, Reid, Akurang, Downer.