HUNTINGDON Town are on a superb run and their 4-3 win at Desborough Town on Tuesday night was their ninth of an unbeaten 2013 that has seen them pick up 30 points from a possible 36.

That is an astonishing run for a side who are in their first season in the Premier Division of the United Counties League and are operating on a lower budget than most of their contemporaries.

And manager Ricky Marheineke puts some of that record down to his captain Ricky Dear, who was back in the team in their 4-0 win against Sleaford Town on Saturday after missing two games with a niggling calf injury recently.

“He has been outstanding,” said the manager. “He has been very influential.

“Apart from the Spalding game [which was a 1-1 draw] we have won every league game he has started in 2013.”

There’s a real buzz at Jubilee Park at the moment. Marheineke is often critical but never damning.

After the 4-0 win on Saturday, he told The Hunts Post: “In difficult conditions we struggled in the first half to pass the ball and went long too often.

“In the second half we managed to get our creative players on the ball in better areas and played with a much better tempo.

“Scoring the second goal early in the second half gave us the confidence to express ourselves and we were very impressive.”

Jamie Graham gave Huntingdon their first-half 1-0 lead with a 30th minute goal and Declan Rogers struck early in the second half.

With the team now in full flow, Ben Seymour-Shove and Stuart Eason added the other goals as the side coasted to victory.

The only downside on the day was central defender Victor Torres pulling up in the warm-up.

The Spaniard has been out of action for almost two months and has left Marheineke a little short at the back.

In Desborough, Niks Savalneiks scored the only goal of the first half with Eason getting their second goal before the home side hit back with two goals of their own. Eason made it 3-2 before Rogers made it four, the home side managing to net another before the end.