JUBILANT Peter Jackson today celebrated Town hitting the play-off placings for the first time and vowed: "Things can only get better."

Saturday's 1-0 victory against Torquay United, sealed by a stunning Tony Carss volley in front of 9,117 fans, catapulted Town to sixth in the Division III table on the back of a five-match winning run.

They now face trips to Lincoln City on Saturday and Yeovil a week tomorrow before returning to the McAlpine, where they haven't conceded a goal in six hours of action and the `feel-good' factor holds sway with 15 points from 15.

"I'm very proud of the lads because, while the goal will be remembered for a long, long time, their effort, desire and quality of football was outstanding," said Jackson today.

"It feels great to be sixth in the table, which is a lot better than a few weeks ago, and we don't want to get carried away because there is a long way to go, but I still think our best is still to come.

"The players are a credit, they are giving me, this club and the supporters everything they've got and when we play like we did on Saturday, it's a privilege to be associated with them.

"Torquay are a total football side who have been up near the top all season, but we gave them a football lesson and we are making the McAlpine a fortress - there's no doubt we are an extremely hard side to beat here now."

Leading scorer Jon Stead is banned for one game at Lincoln and the Imps scored a fine 3-1 win at Scunthorpe on Saturday to move into the top half of the table.

Four points adrift of the automatic promotion places, Jackson should have David Mirfin (hip) available again after he missed out against Torquay, who suffered only a second defeat in eight matches as they slipped to seventh.

"If we carry on playing like we are, then we won't be far off at the end of the season," added Jackson, whose side can equal Town's best run in four years with a sixth successive win at Sincil Bank.

"We didn't get frustrated and start lumping the ball, even though Torquay defended really, really well, and we played in the right way for the full 90 minutes, which was really pleasing.

"To say the squad was thrown together very quickly and has had to settle while the season has been unfolding, I'm absolutely delighted with them and, in my opinion, things can only get better.

"We have four `big' players still to come back into consideration and plenty of others on the fringe who are champing at the bit, so there's every incentive for individuals to continue playing like they are to keep hold of the shirts."

Jackson was delighted with a 9,000 crowd (the highest in the division on the day) for the first time in five McAlpine matches, keeping the League average at 9,026 - second to Hull in Division III and higher than all bar four clubs in the Second Division.

"People are enjoying playing for this club again and people are enjoying watching this club again - because they know they are seeing players who are giving 100% commitment," he said.

"If we carry on playing like that then there will be a lot more 9,000-plus crowds before the season is out and hopefully a few five-figure ones too."

On Carss goal, Jackson added: "He never scores them in training, but that was a fantastic goal and a fitting one to win a terrific game of football.

"It always feels better when training ground work pays off. It was brilliant."

Match report