The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Top half of the table no longer cloud Cuckoo land for Yaxley
Yaxley boss Brett Whaley has challenged his players to use their fine current form as a springboard to claim a first top- half finish in seven years. The Cuckoos have been a permanent fixture in the lower reaches of the United Counties League Premier Division table since coming home seventh back in the 2005- 06 campaign.
But things appear to be changing for the better during a productive first season at the In2itive Park helm for Whaley.
His team are unbeaten in six matches and a 2- 1 triumph at Sleaford last weekend carried Yaxley past the 29- point tally achieved in the whole of last season.
Whaley said: “A new management team and new players have freshened the place up and I think that is probably whatwasrequiredafterseveral years of a very settled set- up.
“We brought in a group of players whoarehungryandeager to learn while players who havestayedfrompreviousyears at Yaxleyhaveraisedtheirgame due to the new competition.
“After so many seasons towards the bottomoftheleague, finishing in mid- table or even the top half would be a big step forward.
“We’re 13th now and hopefully we can go on to get the best finish since the last time theclubwereinthetophalfand puttheimprovementwefeelwe are making down in black and white.
“A trip to Holbeach aside, we have a run of very winnable games through to the end of Februaryaheadofalotoftougher- looking fixtures towards the end of the season.
“But that could work in our favour because when a lot of other teams might have nothing to play for, we’ll still be going at full tilt.
“Every point andevery position is important to us.”
Whaley has made wideman Matt Barber his latest recruit ahead of a weekend visit from struggling Harborough Town.
Locally- based Barber has spent the opening half of this season with Boston Town.
Yaxley are only a point outside the top 10 but are still the secondlowestplacedlocalteam in the UCL Premier Division. Only managerless Blackstones are currently below them.