ST Ives Town won their eighth game on the trot at Desborough Town on Tuesday - but joint manager Jez Hall wasn’t entirely convinced with his side’s first half performance.

“We didn’t play as well as we have been,” he said after the 4-1 win in which Desborough took a 1-0 lead from an early corner.

“It was a sloppy goal,” said Hall. “We had a good spell and had chance after chance, we even hit the post, but they scored during a rare attack when we were sloppy at a corner.”

Lee Ellison scored a free-kick equaliser shortly before the break - and it was at half time that the team were told to focus. “We had a good chat about what we needed to do in the second half - and we were much better,” said Hall.

Ozie Foster got the Saints second goal after playing a lovely one-two with Jamie Alsop and then Ellison got his second of the game, pouncing after the Desborough goalkeeper had parried a Dan Newman header from an Alsop cross. Late on Arron Last headed home a James Hall cross to seal the win.

“It was good to see all the goals come from midfielders - it shows we have depth in our squad,” said Hall. “And the back four were excellent.”

Meanwhile, Hall says he will be getting in touch with some old friends after St Ives were drawn away at Long Eaton United in the FA Vase.

Huntingdon Town beat Derbyshire club Long Eaton in the FA Cup ealier this season and Hall will be getting in touch with ex-Saints Ricky Dear and Dan Moyes.

“They played Huntingdon Town in the FA Cup earlier this season,” said joint manager Jez Hall, “so I will be getting in touch with the folks there for a bit of a heads up.”

The Saints, who are now fifth in the United Counties Premier Division, host Cogenhoe United at Westwood Road on Saturday, and they will be hoping to extend their winning run to nine games.

“I think we have done ten in a row before - but we want to go further than that,” said Hall.