Ashton & Backwell United manager Stuart Jones has insisted there is a "lot of room for optimism" after The Stags returned to winning ways at Wells City.

A&B picked up their first win in four matches, after draws with Wells and Hengrove Athletic and a Buildbase FA Vase defeat at Cheddar, with Paul Uppington, Jordan Scadding and Bradley Skidmore the scorers.

And Saturday's success moved them within three points of top spot in the Toolstation Western League Division One after one defeat in their opening 10 games this season.

"I’m obviously delighted, we would've taken that result before the game started," said Jones.

"We were without Jacob Spence, Sol Jarrett and Callum Townsend as well, so for us to do so well without those three influences in the dressing room speaks volumes for the players that played.

"I thought it could've been more. Their manager said it should've been a little bit different I’m guessing, but I thought we were really good value for the 3-0 win if I’m being honest.

"How the wins and draws have gone I would've taken that after Calne (a 3-1 loss) in the first game. It is a lot of room for optimism but it is going to be really, really tight, no matter what happens and we have to stay in that pack and stay in reach of the top."

Uppington was named man of the match after being involved in all three goals and the forward has returned to the side after leaving last season in search of a "new challenge".

He has since come back and found himself playing with the reserves in pre-season before Saturday's heroics, with Jones adding: "It has been difficult for him to come in because of how well we have been doing and we brought him in and he was outstanding.

"I was really, really chuffed for him. But he has to keep it up and what he did Saturday wasn’t rocket science. What we asked him to do, it was playing to his strengths and we weren’t asking for the impossible but he has got to do that all the time.

"For him to come out, I’d tell reserves, and do that should shake everybody up. For first-team players who aren’t playing they should be like, ;right if we don’t do our job then he’s going to bring reserve-team lads in;.

"The reserve-team lads will be thinking 'if we do well we could get a sniff' so it should shake everybody up."