Boss Jimmy Brattan has urged his Huntingdon Town players to continue picking up points against their fellow United Counties League Division One strugglers.

Second-bottom Town were 3-2 winners at Thrapston – the team directly above them in the standings – last Saturday in the first of three crucial festive fixtures.

They now host fourth-bottom Burton Park Wanderers, who have crashed to consecutive 9-1 losses, this Saturday before going to rock-bottom Raunds on Boxing Day – and Brattan wants more positive results.

“The important thing is that we pick up points against teams around us,” added Brattan. “We managed that against Thrapston and we need it to continue in the next two games.

“The boys are finally starting to believe in themselves and there’s an element of trust and togetherness about them now.”

Brattan was quick to insist his side’s win at Thrapston was considerably more comfortable than the scoreline might suggest.

A Jamie Waterworth strike midway through the second half sealed the points for Town after they had seen a 2-0 advantage wiped out early in the second period.

Midfielders Ben Keating and Mark Wilde put Town on top in the opening quarter-of-an-hour, but the good work was undone as Town sloppily conceded twice in quick succession after the break.

However, they soon regained the upper hand with Waterworth settling the contest after 65 minutes.

“I wasn’t really worried - even at 2-2 - because we were completely in control of the game,” added Brattan.

“I never really thought we were going to lose the game, but it was a case of whether we have enough about us to win the it.

“We were a lot better than the scoreline suggests. We dominated the first half and it really could have been three or four-nil.

“Their back four really struggled with our frontline. They looked nervous every time we went forward.

“We didn’t start the second half how we finished the first half and conceding twice gave us a wake-up call.

“Once Thrapston got their second goal we clicked back into gear and dominated the final half-an-hour with Jamie getting the goal that won us the game.”