"We've got a young hungry team who want to do well" - Jamie Cooke on The Shaymen's strong start to the season

Compare five points, four goals and one win from seven games then, and 12 points, seven goals and three wins now.

Jamie Cooke has been part of both starts, and an improvement off-the-pitch has resulted in things getting better on it.

"I think we've just been a bit more organised in terms of our structure and our philosophy," he said.

"This time last season we were still umming and aahing about formations and starting line-ups, but we've got our philosophy of playing and we're sticking to that.

"Everyone knows our jobs and what we're doing. We've got a young hungry team who want to do well and work hard for each other.

"We're very organised, hard to break down and absolutely ruthless in our hard work.

"It's just constant hard work and pressing.

"There's things that can be better like the final third but that'll come and then we'll be spot on."

Cooke says he isn't surprised by Town's strong start and that he could see it coming.

"Definitely. Pre-season itself was a lot more organised," he said.

"You could definitely sense a difference to last season, 100 per cent."

And Cooke says Town's squad can take a lot of encouragement from how they've started the season.

"It's still early days and it's a very long season but coming up against the teams we have, and the results we're getting, we're doing extremely well," he said.

"It's just about keeping that consistency and that form. That's the main thing with this league is that consistency.

"You could lose one game and drop so many places or win one game and go up so many places, so it's about that consistency.

"We're in a good place at the moment and I think we can build on it and get to an even better place."

Consistency and a squad packed with younger players doesn't always go hand-in-hand, but Cooke, himself still only 21, believes The Shaymen will only get better as the campaign goes on.

"With a young squad it's about getting that experience, which will come with the games," he said.

"With the start we've had, you just think we're in a really good place. I can only imagine what it'll be like in a few months' time, how good it could possibly be.

"Having a young squad doesn't really affect things in a way, if anything it could make things a lot better because everyone's energetic, hungry and everyone's after the same outcome, everyone wants to do things with their career and win as many games as possible.

"There's that fight and that young hunger. Everyone's working hard for each other and I think that has a massive effect on everyone.

"I'd say having a young squad is definitely a good thing."

Cooke is a doubt for Town's home game against Southend on Saturday after suffering a knee problem in the 0-0 draw with Gateshead on Bank Holiday Monday.

That performance was part of a very mixed bag of displays at home so far this term from Halifax, who have back-to-back matches at The Shay against Southend and Dorking to come.

"At home I think we've still had good performances, it's just that final little bit we just need to turn on," Cooke said.

"I know as soon as it does, the confidence will build and there'll be a good aura about the lads and a good vibe.

"There'll be a big confidence about the lads and everything will start ticking.

"It's just about sticking with us and having that patience with us because it'll come, and when things do tick it'll be exciting."

Cooke, who scored the winner at Wembley in May, is yet to find the net this season, with his last league coming against Wealdstone in February.

"I feel like I've done alright, I'm disappointed in terms of goals and stuff like that but that'll come," he said of his own start to the season.

"I need to not put too much pressure on myself in that area, because it's a focus this season for myself.

"But I just need to get that confidence back, relax and enjoy myself and the goals will come and the confidence will be there."