THE significance of our excellent performance and result against Stevenage was that it was against one of the fancied sides in the Nationwide Conference who have invested heavily.

We were very well organised and disciplined and, from our point of view, it was a very good performance to watch.

There was a significant moment when Matt Baker saved a penalty in the 22nd minute but I thought that the penalty award had been a very harsh decision in the first place.

With success there comes a feeling within the club that you cannot wait for the next game and that you become almost unbeatable in your own mind.

Apart from the results which have put us top of the table, the manner in which we have achieved them has been very pleasing.

Eighteen goals from the first six matches have been a terrific return.

The message to the players remains the same - what has got us to the top of the table will keep us there, and that's hard work, application and dedication.

I was a little bit worried with our closing down of the opposition in the match against Aldershot because we didn't do it collectively. But we worked hard on that aspect of our play in training and you could see the outcome against Stevenage.

With the big changeover in playing staff 14 or so months ago, it took the players a while to gel.

Now there is a far greater number living in Hereford than we have ever had in the recent past, and there is a nucleus of a close-knit group of players. I think it all adds to the team spirit.

We know that the married players, who have children and are on short-term contracts with us, just cannot afford to move home, but they have also shown a good approach to the team spirit.

I was delighted to get a phone call from Nationwide at 7.30pm on Sunday to be told that I had been chosen as the Conference's Manager of the Month for August.

The award recognises how hard everyone at the club has worked. Richard O'Kelly, the players and the office staff have all contributed to our terrific start.

However, it's also a sad time for the club following the death of Dec O'Brien. He was a good friend to the club and was the club's medical officer for some time. Our thoughts are very much with his family at this sad time.