MARK BETTS is hopeful that Burnham are moving in the right direction this season and will be able to improve upon their position in the Hellenic Premier Division.

The Blues finished second from bottom last year with Betts in charge for the final 10 matches, but they were saved relegation after a reprieve from the Hellenic League.

Burnham have begun the new campaign with a draw and two defeats, losing 6-2 at home to Highworth Town last weekend before a 2-0 loss at Ascot United on Tuesday, but Betts hopes results will soon start to turn in their favour.

The Blues boss told the Observer: “I hope to give you some good news soon. As a team we’re moving forward, it’s just about getting a bit of consistency in the team really.

“We’ve got to change things as we go and some players are not up to changing, but we’re going about it in a manner that it comes right, and hopefully it wil soon.

“When you look at the table, you expect some teams to be flying, and they are. We’re just building and that’s all we can do.

“We’re looking to finish a lot higher than last year, that’s the aim, away from the relegation zone to try to get the club back on its feet.”

Looking back to the two defeats, Betts said: “Highworth are a very good side, big and strong, and I’m sure they will be up there come the end of the season. They’re looking to win it and there are at least four clubs pushing for the same spot.

“We got back to 3-2 with around 10 minutes to go, but then they got three set pieces and scored from them all.

“The scoreline flattered them a little bit but their aerial prowess was too much to handle.

"We're short on defenders at the moment. We've not got one of our central defenders at the moment, he has got a metal plate in his arm, so we're a bit patched up there at the moment."

On the loss at Ascot he said: “It was probably the best 45 minutes we’ve played so far.

“We missed Barry Dunbar because we got 11 shots away in the first half and if he were there he would have put three or four of them away.”

"Ascot didn't trouble us at all in the first half.

"Their first goal took a bit of a deflection and then there was a bit of an error in our back four and they punished us."

Burnham welcome Brackley Town Saints to The Gore this Saturday (3pm). Betts said: "We played them last year and won 4-0. I still say they were probably one of the best teams we played so I was well happy.

"They,re a young development side, well drilled and well organised with a very good forward, so we just have to be at the races as a team and match them 11-v-11."

Check out our new Observer sports Facebook page. Search: Robert Observer Sport and like, follow and share today.