BILLERICAY Town boss Craig Edwards is not resigned to losing his star striker Isaac Layne before the start of the Ryman Premier League season.

Layne has been heavily linked to a number of Football League clubs and is soon expected to play on trial for Championship club Charlton Athletic.

But Edwards does not feel it is a foregone conclusion that Layne will be leaving this summer.

“I’m not resigned to losing Issac at this stage because he’s still our player and I knowhe’s happy being here,”

said the Town manager.

“Obviously there is some interest and good luck to him.

“He has great talent and I’m sure if he doesn’t move on to the Football League this summer then I’m sure he will in the future.”

Layne played the first 45 minutes of Town’s 3-1 defeat to Southend United on Tuesday night.

The pre-season friendly also saw former Shrimpers youth team captain Jack Edwards lining up for Billericay against his old side.

And the New Lodge chief is pleased to have brought the youngster to the club.

“Jack’s a good signing and I thought he did very well indeed against Southend,”

said the Town boss.

“I’m pleased he’s come in and I’m also pleased with how our preparations are going ahead of the new season.

“The Southend game was a big test and we learnt some valuable lessons.

“I was able to get through to the players how I want them to play and we saw signs of that in the second half against a team who are obviously much better than us.”

Billericay continue their pre-season campaign against Southern League champions Hemel Hempstead at New Lodge on Saturday.

And Edwards is sure it will be another real test for him team.

“We’ve made pre-season deliberately difficult and this game is another example of that,” he stressed.

“After that we play Eastleigh, Millwall, Dagenham and Charlton as well as going out to Guernsey so we should be in great shape by the time the season starts.