Hadleigh United boss Steve Holder quashes title talk for now and sets sights on top six finish after flying start

With eight straight wins catapulting them on to the coat-tails of the league leaders, Hadleigh United boss Steve Holder has admitted their season target has had to be adjusted.

The Brettsiders finished Holder’s first campaign in the managerial hot seat in 15th place in the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division – the club’s best points haul since 2015/16 after several years fighting against relegation.

Christian Appleford’s former assistant had said he was looking to prove that was a ‘false position’ though and began the current campaign with what proved to be a revamped squad aiming for the top 10.

However, with almost 40 per cent of the season passed they are just two points adrift of leaders Thetford Town having strung eight straight wins together in a run which includes scoring 23 goals and five clean sheets. Only four goals have been conceded in that period with Saturday’s dominant 3-0 home win over Mildenhall Town making it 10 games unbeaten.

While he is currently keen to quash talk of a title challenge to match the history-making class of 2013/14, Holder admits they are now chasing a new target.

“I said at the start of the season if we could finish in the top 10 that would be a successful season,” he said.

“Now we are probably aiming for the top six and we will see where we are in another 10 games.

“There have been a couple of whispers last week about people talking about promotion but I shot it down as I said we will talk about it if we’re still up there in another 10 games’ time.”

Asked to pinpoint what has been behind their scintillating run, which has seen them match their 11 wins from the whole of last season and the most consecutive victories the club’s 13/14 title winners achieved, he said: “Consistency, good team spirit and playing really good football if I’m honest.

“Anyone that is coming down can see we get the ball down and try and play.

“It’s no coincidence it’s not just 1-1 or 2-1, we’ve won eight on the bounce, and even that one we drew (1-1 H Woodbridge Town) was a 98th-minute penalty so it probably should be 10 wins in a row if I’m honest.

“And we’re knocking all the big boys down such as Norwich United, Ipswich Wanderers, Newmarket and Soham. They are all big hitters in that league and we’re demolishing them all if I’m honest.”

Holder ended up rebuilding the side over the summer, some decisions forced on him with the likes of captain Matt Paine and top scorer Joel Glover leaving. But he said it was a careful recruitment plan which is now paying dividends.

“I knew where we had to improve and what I wanted to do to put my own stamp on it," he said.

“Towards the end of the season bringing in people like Jack Baker which was pivotal.

“The group I had last year have all pretty much moved on now, I think on Saturday Punts (goalkeeper Nick Punter) was probably the only player I had with me (last season) that started.

“We’ve got pretty much a brand new side and people say it takes a lot of time to gel together but when I was recruiting I wanted to get people that were the right fit.

“I could see the team I brought in playing the sort of play I play and a lot of them are friends as well.

“I couldn’t really recruit from the Mildenhalls, Sohams and Newmarkets because that is out of my budget so I had to recruit from Whitton and Long Melford and teams around us.

“But I knew the players I was getting in have all played Step 3 or 4 at some point and I played with the likes of Liam Wales and Jack Baker.

“They have come through good academies like Sudbury and Bury and teams like that.

“They have gone off to their other clubs and experienced everything. They are a perfect age.”

He added: “I thought if I could just go and cherry pick the players I knew were in and around that environment we could come together and get the group buzzing a bit.

“I think that is what I have got. They are all enjoying themselves even with training and they got dressed up and went out together Saturday night and all those things are massive.

“I said at the start of the season if we’re all together and are a group with everyone believing in what we want to do we will be successful this season.”

The Brettsiders were 2-0 up inside 20 minutes at the Millfield on Saturday with captain Baker’s early header added to by a cool Owen Betts one-on-one finish.

Betts then added a third 10 minutes into the second half, taking the former Harleston, Diss and Whitton United attacker’s tally to seven goals in nine appearances.

But the player who has flourished in a central role since Ryan Taylor’s departure to Lakenheath is now set to be away for three weeks due to a planned vacation.

It has left Holder trying to get a striker in on loan this week ahead of travelling to 17th-placed Fakenham Town on Saturday (3pm) though Regan Pelling (calf) should be available again.

Tuesday then sees the Brettsiders host Whitton in the Thurlow Nunn League Challenge Cup third round (7.45pm).