Canvey go into tomorrow's tough Nationwide Conference clash at Hereford with a stark "defend like we did last week and we'll get murdered" warning from boss Jeff King.

While Gulls are on a run of seven straight league defeats away from home, the Bulls are battling for a play-off place.

They showed their current mettle with a superb 2-0 win at runaway leaders Barnet last week, while Gulls were stuttering to a 2-2 home draw with relegation-haunted Northwich Victoria at Park Lane.

The Islanders recovered from a 2-0 reverse after just 12 minutes in that match and King admitted: "Our defending in that game, and our previous away league match at Dagenham, was awful.

"If we repeat that sort of thing at Hereford we'll get hammered.

"They beat us 3-0 down at our place earlier in the season and I rated them the best side we'd played this season."