Town set standard after cup heroics (From Halstead Gazette)

Town set standard after cup heroics

1:00pm Friday 15th February 2013 in Halstead Sport By Matt Plummer

HALSTEAD Town have set the benchmark.

Now they need to replicate it and transfer their cup form into league points.

That’s the view of buoyant manager Jim Holder, reflecting on last week’s gallant First Division Knockout Cup defeat at Newmarket.

Town took the Thurlow Nunn League division one high-fliers to extra-time, before slipping to a heart-breaking 2-1 defeat.

But Holder still felt the performance was his side’s best of the season, by far.

Now he wants a repeat show in tomorrow’s division one match against Great Yarmouth Town, at Rosemary Lane (kick-off 3pm).

“I hate losing and don’t take it well,” said Holder.

“But I can honestly say that was the least deflated I’ve ever felt in defeat.

“It was disappointing to lose, of course, but I couldn’t have been more proud.

“There was so much to be encouraged by and I thought the boys applied themselves brilliantly, from start to finish.

“Two or three of them had their best games, while the other seven or eight played really well.

“Put everything together and it was certainly our finest team display of the season, by far.”