ANOTHER season is over and it has been a successful one, on the whole, for the majority of south Essex’s non-league teams. With East Thurrock United and Bowers & Pitsea winning promotion and Concord Rangers and Basildon United winning cup competitions, there has been plenty to cheer in the 2015/16 season.

The week LUKE LAMBERT rounds up all our teams’ seasons, with today’s focus on East Thurrock’s campaign in the Ryman Premier League. Here is what manager John Coventry had to say.

A fortnight after the season has finished, how do you view what you have achieved this year?

Winning promotion is a fantastic achievement. What we have done is remarkable. From the staff and (assistant manager) Jay Deveraux to the players it has been a brilliant year. I expected to get play-offs but once you get there it is a real lottery and we won.

What is your biggest satisfaction about the season?

Knowing at the beginning that we were capable of making the play offs and the satisfaction of achieving it and then winning it. Before we were due to play Tonbridge in the play-off semi-final, we had so much confidence and it gave me a massive amount of belief we could go on and win.

The away record was also very good (13 wins, six draws, four defeats) and only losing seven times in the league all season is excellent.

What is your biggest disappointment about the season?

It was an outstanding season but not coming away from Dulwich Hamlet with the three points and the way we conceded two goals in injury-time to draw was a tough one to take.

The wind, in the end, was a barrier we had to overcome although it came good for us as the goals in the play-off final were slightly affected but I hated it in general. The wind has never played a part like this before and I am really pleased we got the better of it in the end.

Which player(s) has impressed you the most this season?

I think Sam Higgins for his goals (45) and his overall team play, but he will always score goals. Tom Wraight came to us at the beginning of the season and we expected him to be good but he was very good and his goal contribution was excellent (22). Lewis Smith has been forgotten about (after he was banned having been found guilty of betting offences) but he was a massive part of our season until the end of February.

And Ben Wood must get a mention, because of his age and his influence. He has been a credit to himself.

What was your favourite game? And why?

I look back to the Dulwich league game where we drew 2-2 at their place and although we didn’t get the result we proved to ourselves and everyone else that we were as good if not better than the best team in the league at the time. That gave us the confidence to achieve what we did in the end.

What are your targets for next season?

Staying in the National League South is the primary target but we don’t just want to do that. Until we have started it will be difficult to know what we can achieve.

Concord Rangers have done great things since they went up but for years we were playing alongside each other with little between us. They are an established team at that level now and we would love to achieve that as well.

What have you learned about yourself as a manager this season?

I am getting too old to learn much new about myself now!

Can you give East Thurrock a score out of 10 for this season? And explain why?

It would have to be nine. The fact we did what we set out to do is all anyone can really ask. It is very satisfying and as a whole this season has been great. The right two teams went up (along with Hampton & Richmond Borough) and I look forward to next season.

Ryman Premier League: Third (promoted via play-offs)

FA Cup: Third Qualifying Round

FA Trophy: First Round

Ryman League Cup: Second Round

Essex Senior Cup: Fourth Round