HALSTEAD Cricket Club's players provided the response that they needed when beating Copford in Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship division one.

Director of cricket Phil Toogood had been unhappy with the team's display when they got beaten by Haverhill the week before, but the performance and result were very different seven days later as Halstead cruised to an eight-wicket win against Copford.

Harry Veal and Josh Wells both took three wickets as Copford were all out for 147 and Wells then struck an unbeaten 75 as Halstead chased down their target quickly.

The 20 points they took from the game put them fifth in the division one table ahead of today's trip to Mistley.

"While the Haverhill game was disappointing, it all clicked for us against Copford," said captain Wells.

"It was right from the first ball.

"Harry Veal bowled brilliantly in an early spell that really set the tone for us and we then carried it on by taking wickets regularly throughout.

"Copford hadn't failed to score less than 200 in an innings before that game, so it was a really good performance to restrict them to less than 150.

"It was quite emphatic and very clear who the better side was.

"I think it was a win that we needed after the Haverhill game and now we have to build on it.

"It was important because of the week before, but it has hopefully allowed us to put the Haverhill display as a one-off.

"I couldn't really put my finger on where we lost that game, but I know we were better in all departments this time.

"We have had a couple of years of being a young side, but this result and response to the defeat the week before shows that we are getting better and are showing that we know how to get it over the line.

"Both sides of our game were really good.

"We didn't give anything away in the field, stayed positive and restricted them and then the batting was good as we knocked off the runs inside 30 overs."

Wells said Chris Rayner and Sam Walter were both likely to be unavailable for the trip to Mistley, but he expected Neal Dakin and Dave Elsbury to come into the team.