Halstead Town manager Mark Benterman feels his team’s performance in their 2-2 draw with Saffron Walden Town can be a statement of their intent to the rest of Thurlow Nunn League division one.

The second-placed Bloods arrived at Halstead having lost just once in the league all season and looking to strengthen their promotion push, however, they met a home side that certainly wasn’t going to give them an easy time.

And Benterman feels it was the type of performance that his players have to match in every game until the end of the season - starting with today's trip to Braintree Town Reserves.

He said: “We had just three players in the starting line-up who were at Halstead last year – Lewis Cunliffe, Ash Baptiste and Nick Miller – the rest were new lads and this result showed what we can achieve.

“It is a statement to everyone that we are good enough.

“To go two nil up against Saffron Walden shows how good we can be.

“As for setting a standard, we’ve said it three times this year – against Long Melford, Swaffham and now Saffron Walden.

“But it does set a standard that everyone here involved with the club wants to keep."