Witham Town FC boss Chris Taylor believes the games can’t come fast enough for his side after an award-winning start to their campaign writes Alec McQuarrie.

Witham were seconds away from relegation in April, needing a 95th-minute winner at Romford to set up a relegation playoff against Saffron Walden Town.

The Town ran out comfortable 3-0 winners in front of a bumper crowd and appear revitalised this season after a summer of hard work on and off the field.

They were awarded the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division Performance of the Month for their 5-0 FA Cup preliminary round win over London Colney and sit fifth in the league after three wins from four.

Taylor said: “The mood is fantastic. The boys we’ve got at the moment are all in good spirits and the attitude is spot on from all the players.

“They’re looking forward to each game and it’s a strange feeling because it’s as if we’re always looking forward to the next training session, the next match.

“They can’t come quick enough with the form we’re in.”

The win in Hertfordshire was Witham’s biggest in the FA Cup since their record 8-1 win against Great Yarmouth in 2012, and Taylor reserved special praise for Adam Vyse, who scored his first hat-trick for the club.

“It was a big milestone for him,” he said. “He was buzzing. He’s worked very hard during the close season, with me and away from training, and he got his just rewards in the game.”

Defender Joseph Alatise also grabbed a brace on his debut to keep his promise to his manager.

“He kept telling me he had that in his locker when we signed him, but then he went out and proved it,” Taylor added.

“Two goals and a clean sheet, I don’t think you can ask for much more on a debut.”

The performance of the month award is sponsored by Isthmian League partners Pitching In, a multi-million-pound grassroots sport investment programme established by Ladbrokes with the support of its owner Entain.

Over the summer, Pitching In launched a Volunteer Hub to connect clubs with willing volunteers in their community and Taylor hailed the work of his off-field helpers as crucial to the team’s good start.

“There’s been a lot of work on the non-playing side that the committee, chairman and vice-chairman have been implementing,” he said.

“One of the main things is the pitch. They’ve worked solidly since May to get that correct and they’ve supported me with regards to things I’ve requested.”

Ladbrokes, with the support of its owner Entain, has launched a multi-million-pound investment programme, Pitching In, designed to support and promote grassroots sports. For more details see: https://entaingroup.com/entain-foundation/pitching-in/