WARRINGTON Town have “a base to build from” as they look to launch an assault on a second consecutive promotion, defender Jay McCarten says.

The Yellows are positioned just outside the play-off places in the Evo-Stik Premier Division with the season fast approaching the half-way stage.

Speaking before Saturday’s defeat to Barwell, McCarten hoped the 2-2 draw against Stafford Rangers on November 5 in boss Paul Carden’s first league game in charge could prove to be the turning point in an inconsistent season.

“We were really down in that game at 2-0 but we managed to drag ourselves back into it,” he said.

“It shows the spirit we have in the side. It takes a lot to come from two goals down but we’ve shown a couple of times now that we’re capable of it.

“The mood in the squad has lifted since that result and I think it’s given us a base to build from so we can look towards the play-offs.

“We seem to have beaten the better sides but struggled against those lower down the table but we’re still very much in touch.

“We’re only four or five points behind and we’re only half way through the season. We’ve got a lot of home games coming up so if we take advantage of them we’ll be in a good position to push on.”

Carden took the Cantilever Park hotseat on October 26 after the departures of joint-managers Stuart Mellish and Lee Smith.

McCarten, who is the club’s longest serving player having joined in 2012, has hailed the impact Carden has had in his limited time with the club.

“We’ve only had four or five sessions with him but they’ve all been great,” he said.

“It’s a bit of a change as there’s been a lot of fitness work but it’s certainly paying off.

“The lads are certainly looking a lot fitter and I’m sure we’ll see the benefits of that on the pitch.

“A few new players have come in to add something different to the squad and we’re looking extremely strong at the moment.”

Through his time at the club, the 26-year-old centre-half has seen the club rise to the highest level in their history after promotion from the Evo-Stik First Division North last season.

He was also a key element in the side that made it to the Second Round Proper of the FA Cup in 2014, beating League Two side Exeter along the way, and reflected on how much the club has changed over the years.

“We had a good side when I arrived but the calibre of players we have now is just another level,” he said.

“The place has grown off the pitch as well. We get a lot more fans watching us now than we used to.

“We’ve got a superb set of fans that follow us home and away. Every time we go to away games the coach is filled with fans.”