FROM no-hopers to high-hopers...the reserve team no-one wanted to play for at the start of the season is suddenly flying high. The aim now is to beat the dreaded drop.

Since Christmas results have picked up dramatically for the Ellwood Reserves team. Things were far from festive and newly appointed manager David Childs must have thought he had been sold a very sick pup indeed.

He said: "From the start it was a struggle. It was a job to field a team every week but at least that was an improvement on last season when we had to cancel several games."

But what a turn-around!

Two wins and two draws, the latest against near neighbours Yorkley, have lifted Ellwood above Lydbrook.

" To stay up I think we want three wins from the last seven games, and five of those are against teams around us. I genuinely think we can achieve the results and avoid the drop," said Childs.

There was, he said, a great atmosphere throughout the club.

"At last things are going well. We had a job to get a bare 11 to play at the start of the season but now I can name a bench of four or five," he said.

The return of Ollie Tate as captain has galvanised the team, and Matty Bennetto's arrival from Viney Hill has added experience and bite.

But Childs reckons the presence of so many young players such as Luke Gwilliam and Adam Wood is the key not only to the recovery of his team but to the future of the club.

"Things are definitely looking up. The club is in very good shape and if we avoid the drop I'm certain we will go from strength to strength next season," said Childs.

Saturday's draw was achieved through a first half goal scored by Stuart Ruck and described by Childs as "a well crafted effort. It was a tap-in but the approach work was excellent."