by JAMES BROWNING

WIVENHOE TOWN are on the up and full of belief, according to manager Chris Hudson.

Recent results have given cause for encouragement, after no wins in seven games in December and seven consecutive defeats in November.

Hudson is not so new to the club any more and it's beginning to show, because his side are improving week on week.

Wivenhoe's last game ended in a penalty shoot-out win over Halstead Town to take them to the semi-finals of the Tolleshunt D'Arcy Memorial Cup.

Before that, they narrowly lost to Haverhill Rovers in the Thurlow Nunn League, after an encouraging 0-0 draw with Kirkley and Pakefield.

Next up for Hudson and Wivenhoe is tonight's game against fourth-placed Coggeshall Town.

The Dragons manager talked up the occasion as his side are set for a Friday night game against one of the league's bigger teams.

He said: "The atmosphere at Coggeshall will be second to none.

"It's a Friday night game under the lights and the boys are all buzzing for it.

"A lot of my players won't have played in that kind of atmosphere before so it'll be a test for them, but it's one we're really looking forward to."

Hudson also spoke of great morale within his squad ahead of tonight's clash.

He said: "There's a great belief in the team now, after the cup win against Halstead.

"This is the first time I've been able to use the word 'belief', but I really do mean it.

"We came into the dressing room after that loss to Haverhill and knew we deserved something from the game. That's when we started to believe.

"The lads all knew we could have won and should have won."

The Dragons are still rooted to the bottom of the premier division table but they are only three points behind Ipswich Wanderers, one place above them.

Hudson thinks the newfound belief in his side will go a long way.

"We're good enough to compete with teams from the top half of the table," he said.

"Something is going to click soon and we'll go on a run that get us out of the position we're in.

"We're close to that and that's the feeling in the dressing room now.

"We need to get ten points to claw ourselves back into a better position, but we're getting there.

"This side is more than capable and we go into every game expecting that we can get a result."

Hudson also had a lot of praise for his side's fans.

He said: "The Wivenhoe fans are the best — they're absolutely superb.

"The noise they make is second to none and they always stay until after the end of the game to clap us off the pitch and give the players encouragement.

"The are just fantastic."