Eastwood CFC bosses pleased with first point as standards are set

The 2-2 draw at home to Heather St John’s was Eastwood’s first point since November and saw the efforts of the previous few weeks’ recruitment and training begin to bear fruit for the new joint management team.

And Rockley says that as things continue to settle down, performances will be expected to keep improving.

He said: “We’ve been really happy with the improvements in the style of play and in the team spirit in terms of where the team has come from.

"We started with very few players and have had to bring in lots of new faces but they’re all beginning to gel well now and that reflected in Saturday’s display.

"Of course we’d have loved to come in and win every game but realistically we needed this time to develop our team and ideas and now we’re happy with the squad and will try not to disrupt things by continuing to bring too many more bodies in.”

Rockley reiterated that the club’s youth setup will continue to be on his and Shayler’s radar should any players be deserving of progression.

He said: “The club’s ethos is clear and we share the belief that the U21 and U18 sides will be of great use to us, with some players from those groups having already done well in the first team.

"Whilst we don’t want to keep bringing too many players in from outside, what we have internally in the youth setup will be valuable to us and there is some good talent there for us to tap into as and when we need to.”

Eastwood go to Spalding on Saturday to take on Pinchbeck United, with Rockley keen to see the Red Badgers build on last weekend’s display.

He said: “We’re beginning to lay down good standards now and the players know what is expected of them in terms of roles on the pitch and the work required in training.

"We’re training twice a week, which differs from how things have been here in recent times, and now need to keep showing the same work rate and determination as without those core values we’ll achieve nothing.”