IVER Heath Rovers FC manager Tim Thorpe believes that his team have already exceeded all expectations this season.

Rovers won promotion into the East Berkshire Premier Division last summer and had hoped to establish themselves at the top level.

That seems a modest target now, with the club unbeaten in the league and still in three different cup competitions.

Iver drew 1-1 away at Langley on Saturday and Thorpe is adamant that Rovers can now challenge for title honours.

He told The Observer: “We wanted to push on next season but we’re definitely one of the top five sides in the league.

“It’s fantastic. The season has already gone better than we wanted it to.

“We have already achieved what would’ve been our wildest dreams at the start of the season.

“I reckon that we can chase the title with a squad of 22 or 23 players.

“Others might struggle to get a team for every midweek game, but I’m confident that we can get a strong side out.

“We’ve got a slight edge on others and that has to benefit us. We should just start to come into contention with a young side.

“We will leave it for others to talk about us and it’s more interesting now, but there is no pressure on us.

“I think that it will go down to the final game of the season and The Lynchpin will be our rivals.

“We have not played them yet but we know their manager and players well.

“The best footballing side that we’ve played is Maidenhead Magpies, but we still managed to beat them.” Iver took the lead at Langley on Saturday when a great team move ended with an impressive finish from Sam Abbott.

Langley levelled the scores from the penalty spot after a collision inside the box involving Rovers’ keeper Tom Edmonds.

Thorpe was not happy with the result at Kedermister Park and believes that his side had enough chances to win the game.

He stressed: “I’m disappointed because I felt that we could have won by one or two goals.

“I felt that we had enough chances to win the game and we should’ve gone out and beaten them.

“We controlled the match and I am disappointed to come away with just a draw.

“It was hard because the players know each other well, and it’s difficult to get that competitive fighting spirit.

“I was confident of getting the win given that we have lost just once since August.

“We could’ve been two or three up. We hit the woodwork twice and had a fair amount of chances at the end.

“Langley have quite a few battling midfielders who try to break up play but our keeper didn’t have much to do.

“Some of our lads had the semi-final this Saturday on their minds and people carrying injuries didn’t play.” Iver visit Reading YMCA in a Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup semi-finals tie this Saturday (2pm ko).

Reading are flying high in the Thames Valley Premier but Thorpe is not put of by the challenge ahead.

He said: “It will be interesting because we’ve never played them before but we will give it a go.

“We have already beaten their league leaders, Marlow United, and there is no pressure on us.

“There will probably be some nerves early on but there’s no pressure. We didn’t expect to get past the last 32.

“We’re never cocky, but I’m confident that we can be the first East Berkshire side to reach the final for many a year.” **PICK up a copy of the Observer, out now, for all the latest sports news and action including pictures from Langley v Iver Heath Rovers** **FOLLOW the Observer on Twitter at @Observer_sports**