SIX wins in nine league and cup games speaks volumes for Dave Diaper’s influence at Sholing.

Since coming back to the helm at the start of November, the Boatmen’s FA Vase-winning manager has done an excellent job steadying the ship after a shaky start to the campaign.

Diaper was enjoying a family break in Lapland on Wednesday as Sholing put the skids under an on-song Larkhall side who had won three and drawn three of their last six in all competitions and had made headway into the Southern One South & West play-off spots.

In his absence, assistant boss Stuart Hussey took charge and kept Diaper’s good work going by masterminding a 1-0 victory courtesy of sub Daniel Mason’s late strike.

Asked the secret of Diaper’s success at Sholing, Hussey said: “Dave brings a sense of belief to the club.

“He and I work really well together. With my technical awareness, enthusiasm and drive and Dave’s experience and know-how of dealing with players, we seem to have a good mix.

“Dave’s a brilliant man-manager and I’ve learned a hell of a lot off him already.

“What impresses me most is his honesty with players.

“There are no hidden agendas or ulterior motives. Everything is out in the open.

“There’s a real honesty about the team and we seem to be working 20 or 30 per cent harder now and we’re a bit more organised.

“I was there when Mick Marsh was in charge earlier in the season and he too gave good information and good team talks.

“We’ve probably just gone back to basics a bit more now and it’s really good to be involved.

“Our aim is to be a mid-table side and, if we can achieve that, it would be a good season for us considering where we’ve come from.

“From last year to this year there has been a huge turnover of players, so it was always going to be about rebuilding.”

Diaper will be back in the dugout tomorrow as Sholing, currently 17th, welcome bottom-of-the-table Bishops Cleeve to the Silverlake Arena. Centre-back Mike Byrne misses out to suspension, but there’s a chance Dan Miller will be fit to replace him.