CHRIS Harris feels Halstead Town can now find the consistency that they need to keep up their challenge in this year's Thurlow Nunn League division one south promotion race.

Having had no action last weekend, Halstead return to league duties with a trip to Holland FC tonight, before a home game against division one south rivals Little Oakley in the Thurlow Nunn League Cup on Tuesday.

The Humbugs will be looking to build on back-to-back wins that they had - against May & Baker in the league and then Haverhill Borough in the First Division Knockout Cup - in their last two outings and Harris feels it is an important spell coming up for them.

The opening part of the campaign has been testing at the Milbank Stadium as a lengthy injury list has made it tough for manager Mark McLean to keep a settled side and results have been inconsistent at times.

Having already lost four games in the league, Harris said they can't afford too many more slip ups in what is likely to be a tight promotion race, but they are still sat third despite the injury problems and the Town striker feels they can now target a greater consistency.

“The whole start to the season has been inconsistent for the team," he said.

“We’ve had some really up and down performances – one game we’ve been excellent and then done really poorly in the next.

“So I think the lads have to make a big effort from here.

“The support we get here is incredible and that’s the least we can do for the fans.

“There are games where it hasn’t been good enough so now we have to pick it up.

“The boys are working hard and we’re getting the consistency, so I think we’re in a good spot.

“It’s a massively important spell for us coming up between now and Christmas.

“With the start that we had, we can’t afford to lose many more.

“But winning is a habit and now we’re going I think we can mount a charge for the top of the league.

“I definitely think we can keep the momentum going now.

“If we can keep lads fit and the more minutes we can get into people’s legs, it will naturally just start to click.

“Just look at the bench that we had in the last game (against Haverhill Borough); it was so strong and I think that will only create competition for places.

“That’s going to be so healthy for us in making sure the lads are kept on their toes and wanting to perform."

Harris was on target in Halstead's previous game - the 3-0 cup win against Haverhill Borough last week - and he was pleased to see the team back up the league win against May & Baker with a positive performance and result.

He added: “If we are going to start a charge up the league, it’s going to come from consistent results so it was pleasing to beat Haverhill in the manner that we did to back up the May & Baker result.

“It was good to keep a clean sheet in that game as well.

“We have a tendency to get ahead and then make a game of it, which we didn’t in that game and that was very pleasing."