A 4-0 victory over Gloucester City on Monday continued our fine run of recent results.

It is a healthy run but it has still not taken us clear of danger. I know it has been mingled with cup games, but we have taken some positive things from the cup games into our league programme, so they have been of more use other than just going into the next round of the competition.

I don't want to put dampeners on things but Gloucester have their own problems, and I thought we played very well on Monday against a poor side.

We have pulled a decent crowd in, and we hope that it is not just people coming along for the Christmas games. If you put on a decent show for them, hopefully a few will stick.

A lot of teams have been suffering from the 'flu epidemic over the holiday period. We also had a few suffering -- Andy Ellis has been laid low, as has Carl Heeley -- but we seem to be getting through it OK.

We are now up to 17th in the table, but there is still a long way to go yet. I don't want to be seen to be pessimistic - it is a case of being realistic more than anything else.

The table is there for all to see. Results going against you and other results going the opposite way can land you back where you started from.

We have closed some gaps now, and that is a good thing. If we can maintain further progress, the points that we pick up should take us some places up the table. There is no need to fear going to Tamworth on Monday.

I would like to wish everybody connected with the club a Happy New Year, and let's hope we can keep the smiles on people's faces by winning matches.

Thursday, December 30, 1999.