FOUR points from two games is a very satisfying start to the new season.

The highlight was Saturday's fine win at Tamworth. To be fair we came out with more than we would have settled for before the game, and it was a deserved victory.

The disappointing thing was the bits we picked up along the way.

I felt Danny McDonnell's injury and the sending-off were avoidable, and that was confirmed by Gary Smith afterwards who admitted he was offside.

But the lads showed a lot of stubbornness and resistance to get us through to the winning line, which was good.

In the first half it was a very good team effort, with Steve Lutz and Mark Owen up front causing them no end of problems.

There were efforts and contributions all across the park, and I wouldn't like to single anyone out and highlight their contributions.

It was a pleasing opening day result, and we succeeded in keeping the Tamworth crowd quiet which is the first time that has happened in all the times I've been there.

They are normally quite hostile and vociferous, but with an hour gone we had reduced it to a strangely quiet atmosphere.

Obviously the situation with Danny going into Monday's game was critical, and we are indebted to Paul Hayward for agreeing to come and play for us against Bath City.

He didn't have a lot to do but what he did was competent, very assured and confident, and when called upon to make a vital save, he made it.

The first half was the best performance in terms of quality of the football that we have given since I have been at the club, and we were on the verge of it being an excellent performance overall. We just lacked a little bit of conviction in the right areas and a bit of quality at the right times.

To be fair to Bath, they were probably travelling back thinking they had done an efficient job and were worthy of their point.

But what was also important was that we put on a performance in front of a big crowd. It was entertaining with tempo and pace -- and I don't think people could complain about value for money.

I thought Ian Reed played very well and the quality of some of the stuff he delivered was of the highest quality. And there were contributions again from Paul Carty, Mark Tucker, Carl Heeley and Nathan Jukes.

It is always disappointing when you don't win your home games but we have an opportunity to put it right against Stafford Rangers on Saturday.

That presents its own difficulties in that it is a promoted club very early in the season, who are out to prove a few points.

Then we go to Merthyr Tydfil on Monday, and I am led to believe they have increased their resources in order to have a better season.

It is always a difficult place to go and I don't think it will be any different on Monday.

We still have things to do and things to improve upon, but players are always going to have something to prove.