AFC SUDBURY manager Chris Tracey is looking for his team to “kick-on” between now and the end of the season.

Although frustrated at dropping two Ryman League Division One North points against Chatham Town last Saturday, Tracey is hoping for a strong showing in the second half of the season to lift his side up the table following the return of key players from injury.

After three successive defeats - 3-2 at home to Aveley, 4-1 at Potters Bar and 6-0 away to Grays Athletic - Sudbury should have taken all three points off Chatham, but a failure to convert their chances saw the Suffolk side held to a 1-1 draw.

Tracey said: “We are now looking to kick on. Ironically in the last three or four years we have generally had a better second half of the season than first half.

“I am still looking over my shoulder at the teams below us as you can’t take anything for granted in this game.

“But there is a better atmosphere around the place. Certainly we have had some poor times this season, but to have those players back now means I can pick the team on merit rather than on numbers, so it is a healthy position to be in.

“If you look through the course of the season and add up the weeks where we have had players out injured, we have had 74 weeks where we have had at least one person out.

“It has not helped our cause, although you can’t hide behind that all season, but the likes of Sam Clarke, Michael Shinn, James Baker and Rhys Darg are all good players at this level.”

Sudbury, who currently occupy 15th place, on Saturday travel to second-from-bottom Ware, who have won just twice in 23 league games so far this season.