Kevin Horlock on Needham Market getting back to winning ways in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central last night
Kevin Horlock believes last night's 1-0 win against Hednesford Town was 'a massive three points' for his Needham Market side.
The Marketmen got back to winning ways in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central on Tuesday, with Ross Crane's 70th-minute strike sealing all three points at Bloomfields.
Having finished a four-game road trip with two draws and two defeats which had seen his side slip from eighth to 16th in the table, it was a triumphant return at home for Horlock's men, who jumped four places up to 12th after yesterday's victory.
"It was nice not to be sitting on a bus for eight hours with the away trips," joked the Needham boss Horlock, who has taken his side to Basford United, St Ives Town, Coalville Town and Stourbridge in the last four weeks.
"We got a point on Saturday (against Stourbridge) and we deserved more, but you take a clean sheet away from home and I said it's only a good point if we back it up tonight (against Hednesford).
"All I asked for tonight was for us to apply ourselves and have the energy levels that we had on Saturday, which we probably lacked in recent games.
"I don't know whether that's the travelling, or the games or us being on the back foot, I just stressed at training I wanted us to be on the front foot and aggressive and I thought we did that tonight."
After making headlines with their club-record run to the first round of the Emirates FA Cup, which ended with a 2-0 defeat at Sky Bet League One Burton Albion, Needham had produced an impressive display to beat leaders Tamworth 3-2 at Bloomfields just three days later.
The Marketmen then embarked on a run of four league games away from home, which saw Horlock's side draw with St Ives and Stourbridge, but lose by one goal to Basford and Coalville to tumble towards the bottom end of the table.
Last night's win against the Premier Division Central's basement side Hednesford saw Needham move up to 12th, and another win at home to second from bottom AFC Rushden & Diamonds this Saturday (1pm) would see them climb back into the top half.
"I was looking forward to coming back here (to Bloomfields), I must admit," Horlock said. "It's been a tough run for us after the highs of Burton.
"We've had four away games and we deserved more in a couple of them. I didn't care if we played well or not tonight, it was just massively important that we got the three points.
"Obviously we have dropped down the table and we've got loads of games in hand on some teams and games in hand on most, but I don't like games in hand. They're no good to you unless you win them.
"We got the three points tonight and hopefully that's given the lads a boost. I don't think tonight's opponents were as bad as what their position suggests and I think they will pick up. I don't think they'll end up down there.
"It was a massive three points. The league is very tight apart from the top two who keep winning, but other than that everyone is beating everyone.
"Three points tonight was the first step and if we get back-to-back wins we'll probably end up moving up to in and around eighth and with games in hand.
"It's still difficult to assess but me being me I can't help but look at the league table. Getting back-to-back wins is really important if you're going to be in and around the top end of the table."
Horlock only named three substitutes on the bench against Hednesford last night, with youngsters Hugh Cullum and Taylor Clark both out injured, while Noah Collard was unavailable.
Colchester United loanee Kaan Bennett played for his parent club's Under-21s against Everton Under-21s last night, but still remains in contention for the Marketmen's squad this weekend.
