JOHN Hill saluted his Halesowen Town players this week as they pulled four points clear on top of the Northern Premier League Division One South.

Following their 1-0 win at Eastwood Town on Boxing Day courtesy of an Iyesden Christie goal, the Yeltz followed up with a 2-1 success at Loughborough Dynamo where Christie was again on target after Nigel Penney pounced for the opening goal.

Hill pointed to the fact the Yeltz had five key players missing for the festive programme, but added: “It epitomises everything that the club stands for at the moment and what the players are about. “There are no superstars, they just roll their sleeves up and work hard for each other. “They are a real genuine set of lads”.

Victory at Loughborough was Halesowen’s seventh straight win and took them four points ahead of Leek Town, who Hill believes are the best side they’ve played this season.

The fact he had Elliot Turner, Chris Lait, Aaron Griffiths and Avun Jephcott, along with leading marksman Ben Haseley all missing, meant Hill had to use youth team player Shane Grainger.

But Hill insisted: “I’m sure there’s going to be a bad spell waiting around the corner for us.”

Hill also hit out at his festive fixtures and claimed: “I thought they were supposed to be local fixtures over Christmas, but instead we’ve found ourselves going to Nottingham and Leicester.

“However, you wouldn’t have known we were away. We took excellent support to both games and outnumbered the home supporters.

The Yeltz next game is at Brigg Town on January 11