Acrobatic striker Craig O'Connor somersaulted Lewes back into Conference south play-off contention and said: "We're good enough to go up."

The diminutive frontman starred alongside strike-partner Paul Booth as the Rooks swept aside title challengers Histon with relative ease at the Dripping Pan.

O'Connor scored the crucial second goal just after half-time and celebrated with a spectacular Lomana Lua Lua-style back-flip.

Victory extended Lewes' unbeaten run to four games and took them to within five points of the play-off positions with two months of the season remaining.

Steven King's side are regarded as outsiders for a place in the top five because they have played more games than all of their rivals.

But O'Connor, who joined Lewes from Histon's arch enemies Cambridge City last month, believes they are more than capable of making a late surge.

He said: "With the squad we have got, we should be much higher than we are. When you look at our quality, we're good enough to go up.

"Since I have come here, everyone has been buzzing and I don't think it is too late for us to think about the play-offs.

"If you win every game then you are going to be in there. It is about being consistent, not worrying about anyone else and doing your own job. It is in our hands."

King, asked if Lewes' good form has come too late, said: "It is never too late. We just have to keep playing like this and see where we end up.

"It is annoying that everyone above us won as well but there are still a lot of points to play for, so we will just keep going.

"I've always said that if we have a full squad to choose from we can do something in this division and we showed it. It is not an excuse it is a fact and hopefully we will not have any more injury problems."

O'Connor scrambled the ball in from close range two minutes after the break following a good run and cross from Jamie Cade on the left flank.

The flamboyancy of his celebration made up for the scrappy nature of his strike and O'Connor revealed it is something he has been doing since childhood.

He said: "It comes from having too much energy as a youngster."

His strike was the pivotal moment of the game after the first half ended in stalemate.

Booth gave Lewes a deserved lead on 25 minutes with a curling free-kick from the edge of the box which keeper Lance Key got a hand to but could only divert into the top corner.

The visitors hit back a minute later through Lewes-born defender Matt Langston, who blasted in from four yards after the Rooks had failed to clear a flicked throw-in by Adrian Cambridge.

Having been less than impressive in the first 45 minutes, Histon were expected to show why they were a point off the top going into the game.

But after O'Connor gave Rooks the perfect start to the second period, there was only ever going to be one winner.

Histon looked average to say the least and could not cope with the home side's front two. O'Connor, all power and pace despite his small stature, was a threat whenever he went forward, while Booth caused constant problems with his intelligent running and good hold-up play.

He scored his second just after the hour when he ran on to a long ball by Paul Kennett, rounded Key and slotted home from an angle.

O'Connor was not surprised Lewes made such easy work of their higher-placed opponents.

He said: "I've played against Histon before and the basis of their game is about hard work.

"If you can match them for work rate and have quality, then you can beat them."

King added: "The two boys up front were brilliant. Craig works his socks off and he's a nuisance for defenders.

"Because he does that, it gives Boothy the opportunity to score. Boothy will always get goals if given the chance and he is flying at the moment.

"Histon are a big side and rely on being bigger than everyone else. They win headers and throw balls into dangerous areas. We played football and they didn't know what to do with us."

Lewes: Williams, Elliott (McEntegart 90), Legge, Robinson, Hamilton, Drury, Kennett, Holloway, Cade, O'Connor (Kadi 80), Booth (Sigere 88).

Subs not used: Farrell, Storey.

Booked: Robinson (5) foul, Holloway (30) foul, Legge (55) foul, Hamilton (78) foul.

Histon: Key, Haniver, Okay (Roberts 79), Mitchell-King, Langston (Hipperson 71), Cambridge, Kennedy, Murray, Kennedy (Roberts 71), Baker, Knight-Percival.

Subs not used: Andrews, Jackman.

Booked: Langston (25) foul, Haniver (87) foul.

Referee: M. Stewart (Essex).

Attendance: 585.

Man-of-the-match: Craig O'Connor.