BEN Wyatt feels Braintree Town’s table-topping position in the Vanarama National League South has seen them set the bar for themselves for the rest of the season.

Braintree head to Bath City on Saturday still perched at the summit of the table on goal difference and while they appreciate there is still plenty of football to be played this year, Wyatt feels it’s a standard they can now aspire to.

The Iron went top as they bounced back from an FA Cup disappointment against Brackley Town with a 3-1 win against Gloucester City in their last outing.

And although they are having to wait two weeks to resume action at Bath, they are looking to kick on further now to strengthen their position in the promotion race.

Wyatt said: “It was a massive reaction at Gloucester because we knew it wasn’t good enough in the Brackley game.

“That has put us top of the table and we feel like we’ve set the bar now.

“We feel we’re back to where we were and have been for most of the season.

“That’s why the Brackley result was so disappointing because we know we’re better than that.

“It’s great being top of the league and when you’re up there, there’s no way that it can fail to be a happy environment for everyone.

“We have a great group of lads.

“For a team that has come together as a new group as we have, that’s some achievement.

“We have gelled so well together and I think we’re starting to see the gritty bits on the pitch where we are all backing each other up. That can carry you a long way.

“We like to play nice football, but there will be teams in this league who you come up against when you have to dig in.

“It happened at Concord and there have been a few others, so you need that side of your game.

“With a young side, you wonder if it might be a problem, but it really hasn’t for us.”

Wyatt missed the games against Brackley and Gloucester through injury and appreciates why he hasn’t been rushed back into action, but he now feels he is ready to resume Iron duties.

The 21-year-old former Colchester United and Maldon & Tiptree left-sided utility player has been sidelined by a knee injury since scoring the fifth goal in Braintree’s 5-0 Vanarama National League South win against Hungerford Town.

It has kept him out of action for the last two games but he is itching to be back for the trip to Bath.

“I picked up a little knock on my knee in the game against Hungerford,” he said.

“I felt alright during that game but it stiffened up a bit and it has been more of a precaution than anything since.

“We have a big enough squad to do that and it’s just a case of looking after it as we have a long season ahead.

“It feels better now, though, and I’m hoping to get involved again as soon as I can.

“I’m aiming towards being fit for the game at Bath and it’s helped that we’ve had the two-week break as it has given me a bit more time.”

“I can’t say that it’s 100 per cent going to happen but I’ve been training and been doing bits and pieces outside training to gradually build it back up.”