BOWERS & Pitsea have given a women’s football club the chance to develop and challenge the likes of C&K Basildon Ladies.

That is the view of Darren Fraser, whose Little Thurrock Dynamos side have been renamed Bowers & Pitsea Ladies after linking up with the Isthmian North club.

The ladies team, who ply their trade in the Eastern Regional Women’s Football League, will play their home fixtures at the Len Salmon Stadium.

And Fraser believes the link-up will allow the club to develop.

The Bowers & Pitsea Ladies boss, whose Little Thurrock Dynamos charges narrowly missed on promotion last term, said: “The club has been operating since 2012 as Little Thurrock Dynamos.

“It’s a community football club and we had no way of going forward as a team without linking up with a men’s team which had the facilities we required in order to compete.

“We had conversations with various clubs, like Basildon United, Concord Rangers, Canvey Island and Aveley.

“Eventually, we got invited down to Bowers and we had a chat with them.

“The talks went well and we used their facilities last season.

“Everything is looking rosy at the moment and we have big plans for the future.”

With a name change to Bowers & Pitsea Ladies approved, Fraser is eager for the new campaign to get underway.

And moving away from the Little Thurrock Dynamos tag has opened new avenues.

“We are going to play in the Isthmian Women’s Cup competition, which is only open to clubs affiliated to a men’s team in one of the Isthmian divisions,” added Fraser.

“Being part of Bowers & Pitsea will allow us to do that.

“We have had so many trialists since becoming Bowers & Pitsea Ladies and we now have 28 players.

“There are now enough players to make two teams and we are looking at making a development team and youth teams in the future.

“When we were called Little Thurrock Dynamos, we were the last port of call for players released from the likes of C&K Basildon, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.

“We’re a more attractive prospect now and exciting times are ahead.”

The Len Salmon Stadium turf is set to be replaced with an artificial surface over the course of the coming weeks.

And Fraser confirmed the change will not affect his side.

Fraser, 50, confirmed: “The 3G pitch will be good for us and we will have no problems with it.

“I have been in football for more than 20 years and it is interesting to see what can happen after this affiliation.

“We have applied for charity status, because none of our players get paid, and we will have Havens Hospices sponsoring our shirts free of charge this season.”