After back-to-back away losses at Taunton and leaders Ebbsfleet, Hawks struck three times in the second half to beat Chelmsford 3-0 at Westleigh Park.
It was only a fourth NLS win in 11 fixtures for Paul Doswell’s men, who remain five points adrift of second-placed Dartford with two games in hand.
Realistically, Hawks - 13 points behind Ebbsfleet - are fighting to finish runners-up and book home advantage in the play-offs.
Ruff opened the scoring just after the hour mark, heading in from close range - his ninth league goal of the season.
The first five were scored for Chelmsford, including one in an early-season 4-3 home defeat against his current employers!
How often is it that a player scores in both league fixtures of any given season, but for both clubs?
Ruff’s opener was followed by Mo Faal’s 15th league goal of the campaign before sub Sam Matthews opened his Hawks account in the closing stages.
Only Ebbsfleet’s Dominic Poleon (22) and St Albans’ Shaun Jeffers (21) have scored more NLS goals than Faal in 2022/23.
Hawks currently possess four of the top 16 league scorers in the division- Faal being joined by James Roberts (12), new signing Callum Kealy (12) and Ruff (9).
Kealy, signed from Worthing in the wake of Jason Prior’s return to Dorking, went straight into the starting XI up front as Danny Wright was starting a three-game suspension for being sent off at Taunton.
It was Kealy’s second league game of the season at Westleigh Park, after his hat-trick had helped Worthing romp to a 5-1 victory in December.
This time he couldn’t crown his debut with a goal but won praise from player-coach Jamie Collins.
‘Jason (Prior) was a good player for us but Callum is a different type of player,’ he told the Hawks’ YouTube channel. ‘He certainly gives us something different.
‘Callum’s got great workrate, he never stops running. All good players work hard.’
Ruff won the sponsors’ man of the match award, but Collins hailed Ethan Burnett in what was a ‘superb all-round performance’ by all the players.
‘It was a much-needed win, he added with Hawks now eight points clear of eighth-placed Chelmsford, the club immediately outside the play-off zone, with a game in hand and a superior goal difference.
The win was achieved without seven first team squad players - Wright and Joash Nembhard suspended, Paul Rooney and Ben Shroll injured, and Tommy Wright, Sam Magri and Gianni Crichlow out on loan.
Meanwhile, Ebbsfleet stretched their run of successive NLS wins to seven with a 3-1 success at Bath City.
Even though Hawks are only two points off averaging two points per game - usually promotion form - Fleet are undoubted title favourites. And with their next two games against bottom five outfits Chippenham and Hampton, the winning run could well be extended still further.
1. Mo Faal about to put Hawks 2-0 in front
Mo Faal about to put Hawks 2-0 in front. Picture by Dave Haines Photo: -
2. Sam Matthews scores his first Hawks goal
Sam Matthews scores his first Hawks goal. Picture by Dave Haines Photo: -
3. Sam Matthews wheels away after scoring Hawks' third goal
Sam Matthews wheels away after scoring Hawks' third goal. Picture by Dave Haines Photo: -
4. Sam Matthews has just scored Hawks' third goal
Sam Matthews has just scored Hawks' third goal. Picture by Dave Haines Photo: -