I AM delighted to say we have had an outstanding holiday period. Ten points from four games - three games away from home, two of those long journeys. I have been involved in eight league games - four home and four away - with 19 points out of a possible 2

I AM delighted to say we have had an outstanding holiday period.

Ten points from four games - three games away from home, two of those long journeys.

I have been involved in eight league games - four home and four away - with 19 points out of a possible 24 which we are very, very happy with.

By the way we are not kidding ourselves. We can and will play better but it's a good sign when you pick up points when not necessarily deserving them.

We deserved a draw versus Rushden on Boxing Day, and we deserved to beat Altrincham (December 29) and Stafford (January 5).

We didn't deserve to get three points against Rushden and Diamonds at home on New Year's Day but we will take them.

Over a season, sometimes you get what you deserve and sometimes you don't.

So when things aren't going as well as you would like, all you can expect is your players work as hard as they can individually and as a team to get the result you want.

Against Rushden we were playing poorly and we were looking second best in every way.

So to win is magnificent and I know there was a lot of luck involved but I can only applaud the players for their efforts.

That performance was my fault more than the team's fault because I should have rested certain players for the Altrincham game.

I should not have expected certain players to play three matches in a short period because they have been short of match fitness due to injury and suspension reasons.

Junior Lewis took a lot of stick that day and thankfully he is big and old enough to accept it and get stronger for it.

He is a player I know very well. I have signed him five times and he has done well every time.

He never hides and does a lot of work for the team that I wouldn't expect some of the experts behind me would see. So I suppose Junior will get more stick but I know the job he does and so do his team-mates.

Finally, with a two-week break, it should give some injured players a chance to recover and it also gives me a chance to bring a new face or two into the building to strengthen our chances of having a fantastic season.