FOURTH in Division One of the United Counties League, Eynesbury Rovers are poised for promotion. Is that what joint manager Martin Field was expecting when he joined the club at the start of the season?

Of course, he told The Hunts Post. “For me it was always to get promoted. My expectations now, half way through, haven’t changed.

“Having seen what this league is all about, I still feel we are right in there with a chance.”

Indeed, Eynesbury this season have been a joy to watch.

In the summer, after Rovers had finished sixth at the end of a campaign of ups and downs, the club decided it no longer needed the services of manager Paul Dodson, and Field was brought in from Southern League side Biggleswade Town to link up with former boss Matt Plumb. Turns out that was quite a bold move on behalf of the board – 16 games later, Eynesbury are serious title condenders.

“On our day I feel like we are as good as any team in the league,” said Field. “We just need to make sure that every game is on our day.

“At the start of the season I thought it took a little while for the lads to grasp what I was all about and what I expected from them, hence we dropped silly points to what I thought were average sides, but we worked at it and the lads responded really well to what myself and Matt were asking of them.

“One of my targets was to have a good run in the Vase, so I was extremely disappointed to go out to Ely City in the first round proper, that was a game I feel we should have won.

“You have only to look at what they have done in the Vase to see what we have missed out on,” he added, with the fellow Cambridgeshire still to play Spalding United in the last 32 of the competition.

But brilliant results over AFC Rushden & Diamonds, who they beat 4-1 to become the first side to defeat the club in a league game, and lowly Burton Park Wanderers, who they thrashed 8-0, with prolific striker Lee Bassett scoring four, have shown they are a strong outfit.

“I have been impressed with the standard of the league – people were telling me that they thought this season, with the likes of AFC Rushden and Diamonds and Oadby, and all the rumours about the money Silbey have, it was going to be the strongest UCL One for a long time.

“Well, if that is the case, then we should be happy that we are competitive among those clubs. I still feel we are as good as any of these teams, we just need to make sure we keep working hard and see where it takes us.”

Eynesbury have recently lost winger Aaron Greene to Peterborough Northern Star – but Field and Plumb have added Paul Reynolds and St Neots Town striker Jack Werndly, who has also played for Godmanchester Rovers this season.

“Jack will, without doubt, be a very big player for us as he is a quality footballer,” said Field. “I also have Ben Cole getting back to match fitness, which will be a major plus as he is as good as anyone in this league.

With Jack, Ben and Lee Bassett, I’m sure we will be banging in the goals to keep us on target for that final push for promotion.

“We have a lot of quality throughout the squad that can win games – but as I tell the lads on a regular basis, they have to do it as a squad.

“Working hard for each other is what wins games and leagues.”