From Rooks To Ricay

The games come thick and fast and certainly don’t get any easier.

Tomorrow evening (Tuesday) we make the shortish trip to Essex to face one of the division’s big-hitters in Billericay Town, hoping to bounce back from an afternoon to forget at Lewes.

This is Ricay’s second season back at Step 3 and they have started impressively – in the league at least after a shock FA exit to Sheppey United.

They are skippered by former Towner Matt Johnson while Bradley Stevenson and Moses Emanuel have netted a combined 16 times, aided and abetted by the likes of  Frankie Merrifield.

Like us, they have played nine league games but lie third in the table and are certain to provide formidable opposition.

This is Town’s sixth successive away game in all competitions, an unenviable scenario for any side. But a decent result at the AGP arena will set us up nicely for a return to familiar home surroundings next Saturday.

Sam Youngs is available for selection tomorrow after serving a one-match ban but Gavin Macpherson knows how tough an encounter it will be after recent setbacks.

“I’ve got players who weren’t making errors that now are and it’s been costing us,” admitted Gavin. “I have to work out why that is.”

“I’ve never had a revolving door as a manager but there comes a point, when it is consistent, where you wonder whether your players can do what you are asking them to.”

“Do I look at it and think maybe this is phase two of the season, after getting off to a pretty good start overall in phase one, and wonder if I need to being anyone in.

“We were surprisingly lacklustre at Lewes. Hopefully it’s a massive wake-up call. I absolutely feel for our supporters but Billericay doesn’t faze me. It’s another chance to pit our wits against one of the so-called big boys.”

We have laid on a minibus for Billericay departing at 4.45 costing £15 return. please email to book your seat at ramismail65@gmail.com

Andrew Warshaw