BASINGSTOKE RFC head coach James Croker says that the first half of the season has left him with mixed feelings going into the Christmas break.

Croker saw his charges end 2011 on a positive note by beating Cobham 13-10 with a battling display at Down Grange on Saturday, a result that lifted them up to fourth in the London One South table, eight points behind the leaders.

Croker inherited a broken side that had just been relegated when he took over in the summer and first saw the side in action losing to lowly Gosport and Fareham in the final of the Hampshire Cup.

The squad has come a long way since then and, while Croker is proud of what he has achieved, he says there is still room for improvement.

“After the start we had, I would like to be higher in the table, but we are still in the mix and at this point I will take that,” he said. “I certainly would have accepted the position we are in when I took over and, overall, I think the club is in good shape, with a strong second team and an |environment that is really conducive to rugby.”

Basingstoke went into the two-week Christmas break with a hard-earned victory over a dogged Cobham side, who defended excellently and almost frustrated their hosts.

“The win was what I wanted and a nice Christmas gift,” Croker said. “Frustration began to set in but at the end we ran a lot of phases, edged forward and got the try, which was a massive relief – but it was the right result.

“The break will certainly do all of our injured players good. To know that we have got players to come back and compete for a place in the side is a massive positive.”

Croker will need all of his players fit for what could be a big first month of 2012, which he hopes will see his side move even closer to the front-runners.

“We are looking forward to January, when we play three of the bottom six, while the other sides near the top play each other,” he said. “The end of January is the next point we are looking at when it comes to reflecting.

“We have all of the big sides at the end of the season but that suits us because we will be in control of our own destiny rather than waiting for others to slip up. All of the other sides have their frailties and we have just got to make sure we take advantage.”