It seems like only yesterday we were staring down the barrel of a long, arduous season in the relegation zone.

But, somehow, we have gone five league games undefeated and sit comfortably in 10th place, two points from the play off places and four points from the drop zone.

Watching AFC Wimbledon on TV against Oxford United was a nice treat, and not just because we finally got one over on our bogey team.

We looked – were – a bona fide, fully functioning League One club that has every right to be in the top 10.

It was a case of no more Mr. Nice Guy, we were rough at times.

In the past we have been too naiive, too soft, and we’ve been punished as a result. No more.

Maybe it was just me, but I found myself grinning at the suggestion that we were “physical”.

Swindon Town come to Kingston this weekend and we need to carry this momentum forward.

Despite our tradition of falling apart against struggling teams, the fact that we finally overcame Oxford after 13 attempts will hopefully herald a new era.

We’ve scored five goals in our last two matches, and in the last five league games only Rochdale (seventh), Bury (second) and Scunthorpe (top) have better records than us.

Neal Ardley is rotating the squad, ensuring the competition for places keeps everyone on their toes, and with Chris Robertson and Will Nightingale on the bench this has really pushed centre backs Paul Robinson and Darius Charles up a gear.

There really is plenty to smile about at the moment, and it’s hard to see our form taking a dive.

All we have to do is stay agile and be prepared to play ugly if needs must.

The only thing that needs to look good is our history, and at the moment, it’s shining.

@MartyFullardUAE