ROYALS REVIEWWITH back-to-back wins, six goals scored and none conceded it has been a fantastic weeks for us.It is just as important to keep clean sheets at this stage of the season and the boys have been excellent.

ROYALS REVIEW

WITH back-to-back wins, six goals scored and none conceded it has been a fantastic weeks for us.

It is just as important to keep clean sheets at this stage of the season and the boys have been excellent. On Saturday we produced a top notch performance to see off fifth-placed Stanway Rovers.

There was a bit of talk about them being a bit understrength, but this was a really good performance all round. We started at a good tempo and were straight at them with two goals early on.

And from there we never looked back as two goals from Ally McKenna, Ian Dawson, Russell Stock and Liam Harvey-Cooper all got on the scoresheet.

To be honest people expectations were going up recently as we were winning but not playing particularly well - but in the games against Newmarket, Histon Reserves and Stanway we have collected positive results and the performances have been very positive, which bodes well at this stage of the season.

With Nathan Stone suspended for the past two games, James Cole has been the only injury absentee - so with a run of tough games ahead in quick succession we've taken the opportunity to rest some players and rotate the squad.

Dave Tarawalli came in for his first start at right back and then left midfield on Tuesday night, and I though he was excellent. He was strong, kept the ball well and showed a lot of maturity at full back before switching to the opposite flank in midfield in the last 15 minutes and he could have scored in a one-on-one, but overall he was excellent.

Tuesday's game was in doubt given all the recent rain and it wasn't until 4pm that we got the all-clear, but saying that it wasn't a particular great surface made for football as it was heavy underfoot and full of surface water in places.

We took a while to get going, but after 15 minutes I felt we got a foothold in the game and took the lead from the penalty spot after Scott Manning was brought down and Woody fired it home.

Playing against the wind in the second half it suited us better as we knocked balls into Russell (Stock) and Ally (McKenna) and I thought we played really, really well after the interval.

Liam Harvey-Cooper played really well on the wing in the second half and we kept the ball really well as it could've been four or five on the night had it not been for their keeper who made a string of saves, including a top drawer effort to deny Andy Key.

Defensively the boys kept a really high line and overall I felt we produced a really professional display all-round, as they only had one shot in the second half.

We are now at the business end of the season - so for us to be where we are is credit to everyone involved at the club. The squad are playing some great football and we've got back to being very solid defensively.

Things can change quickly at this stage, but we'll continue to take it match by match. And that starts today with a tough game at Wisbech followed by another tough one at Leiston on Monday.

Both Wisbech and Leiston are in good form, but we'll be doing all we can and will concentrate on ourselves as there is no pressure on us.

I think Needham Market must be red hot favourites as things are literally in their own hands now, but CRC are still in there despite not being in a great run of form, while its nip and tuck between Leiston and ourselves.

Needham must be very strong favourites, but it's how they handle that pressure. If they slip up, there are three teams behind them waiting to catch them.

We have the most difficult run-in of the top four but there is no pressure on us as we've gone from not being in contention to being in contention.

We'll concentrate on what we're doing right now, and that is look to consolidate fourth spot and go from there as it is all in other peoples' hands.

Nathan Stone returns from suspension, while James Cole's injury is improving. We have slight concerns over some niggles for Russell Stock and Andy Key, who both came off early on Tuesday night, but they will travel today.

Dave Tarawalli is not available Monday, which is a real shame after he got himself in the starting line-up this week, but I'm not expecting to play the same side against Wisbech and then again at Leiston on Monday as we have a run of games in quick succession now.

In terms of both games though, we are confident going into them and we're looking forward to playing in these types of games.

Stewart Larter was speaking to Mark Boggis