IT'S been a while since the last brief due to our post Christmas inactivity - the result of poor weather and subsequent postponements, giving us the quietest festive break in recent history.

IT'S been a while since the last brief due to our post Christmas inactivity - the result of poor weather and subsequent postponements, giving us the quietest festive break in recent history.

So this is my first chance to wish a belated Happy New Year to all readers!

The unplanned break has given us the opportunity to get all of our niggling injuries behind us and in turn sets us up nicely for our return to action.

And it has been a profitable return - picking up two excellent away wins and a fantastic home victory, which has seen us rise to the lofty heights of second in the table.

Saturday's win at Tiptree was an excellent game of end-to-end football with two teams both looking to win the game and therefore prepared to commit to an attacking and free flowing game.

We went behind in the first half to a penalty and it was really encouraging to see us respond in the same positive way as we had in the previous game at King's Lynn, by sticking to the game plan and getting ourselves back in contention.

We did this via an unstoppable Woodcock penalty to go in at half time deservedly all square. The second half was an exciting affair with our hosts hitting the woodwork and having an effort cleared off the line and us missing two gilt edged opportunities. With only five minutes left on the clock an excellent through ball from Henderson saw Stone round the keeper and dispatch a deserved and perfectly timed winner.

This was a performance built on a great work ethic and team spirit against a very competent Tiptree side who will continue to be a very difficult side to beat at their home ground.

Wednesday saw the visit of a very youthful Woodbridge side and we started off just where we finished on Saturday with a goal from Nathan Stone, which set us up for a very comprehensive free-scoring victory, as we went on to record a comfortable 5-0 victory with further goals from Blake, Harvey, Dawson and a second for Stone, with a clean sheet providing the icing on the cake.

Tomorrow witnesses a quick return match with King's Lynn Reserves, a game we won't take lightly as with any reserve side you don't know who you will face on the day.

We will look for a win to continue our good start to 2009.