Brady Stone is confident that momentum is starting to build behind his side after a series of improved performances in recent weeks.

The Ely City boss said his young squad had finally started to adapt to the rigors of life in the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division and was confident that they could pick up some much-needed points over the Christmas period.

The Robins visit mid-table Fakenham Town on Saturday and Stone says his side have matured since the two teams last met, back in August, when Fakenham triumphed 2-0.

He said: “We know from when we faced them before that they are one of the hardest working teams in the league, who are well organised with a great work rate.

“But we have come on as a team since then and we will be looking to match them. We are learning to make better decisions now, not to play it out from the back when we are under pressure and not to give away silly goals.”

Ely currently sit second bottom of the table, with just seven points taken from 19 games, but a narrow defeat to Kirkley and Pakefield, followed by a battling draw at Hadleigh has given Stone cause for hope.

He said: “We were beaten by some last minute goals against Kirkley and the draw at Hadleigh felt like a win so we have really picked up.

“The signs are there that the lads are settling in to the league and that they are doing the basic and simple things right.”

Stone said that he expected to have the same squad available to him as the one that battled to a draw at Hadleigh, including four on-loan players from Histon, who Ely have been told they can hang on to until at least March.

“We will review how the Histon lads have done and make a decision then if we want to keep them on. They have done well,” Stone added.