KIRKLEY & Pakefield are reaping the rewards of signing one of the region's best strikers, according to the club's joint-boss Jon Reynolds.Reynolds knows only too well the influence former Lowestoft hit-man Russell Stock has had on the Royals since his arrival at Walmer Road in the summer.

Mike Bacon

KIRKLEY & Pakefield are reaping the rewards of signing one of the region's best strikers, according to the club's joint-boss Jon Reynolds.

Reynolds knows only too well the influence former Lowestoft hit-man Russell Stock has had on the Royals since his arrival at Walmer Road in the summer.

Not wanting to re-sign for the Blues at Crown Meadow, Stock joined Kirkley & Pakefield and hasn't looked back.

“When me and Stuart (Larter) took over in the summer, we felt they were just a player or two short,” Reynolds said.

“We set our stall out to get that player, and Russell (Stock) has done superbly for us.

“Bearing in mind he didn't have much of a pre-season, he's got about 10 or 11 goals for us already and that's superb.

“We've had a good start, had a good little FA Cup run and we are hopeful we can do well in the Vase.”

Reynolds' confidence is bred from a club set-up that has mushroomed in recent seasons.

Kirkley & Pakefield now boast nearly four teams at every level of youth football and have many girls sides, as well as Vets teams.

The senior team currently sit in sixth place in the Ridgeons League Premier Division table, with games in hand on all above them. Today they entertain fast-improving Histon Reserves at Walmer Road.

But it's in the knock-out competitions the big games are coming thick and fast.

On Wednesday they entertain near-neighbours Lowestoft Town in the Suffolk Premier Cup, while next month it's Biggleswade Town who come to Walmer Road in the second round of the FA Vase.

“A good Vase run would be nice,” Reynolds added.

“And we want to look at a top four or five finishing league position.”

Reynolds' optimism certainly isn't misplaced as Kirkley & Pakefield continue to reign in the plaudits - helped in no small part at the moment by Stock.