BILLERICAY TOWN/RYMAN PREMIER LEAGUE

Billericay Town have organised one of the toughest pre-season schedules, with their first six matches against sides above them in the football pyramid.

Town struggled for consistency last year, as they started the season in poor fashion before a particularly good spell over the middle months fired them back into play-off contention, but by that point it was too late.

Dover, Sutton and Ebbsfleet provide stern opposition from the National Leagues while Reading, Leyton Orient and Gillingham will send teams to New Lodge in July.

Tough tests await in the Ryman One North to complete their campaign, with manager Craig Edwards keen to use the schedule to his advantage.

“I have sorted it out like this because of the poor start we had last year,” he said. “We played some games we should have won last year and the schedule didn’t enable us to work out who was good enough.

“We had several players who wasn’t up to the mark and we won two of the first 10 league games and that ultimately cost us.

“We worked on and had a good session and it will be very tough. I told the boys, results against some of these teams would be miracles but it is not about that. I want discipline and organisation and I am confident we will give them all good games.”

9/7 Dover Athletic (A) 3pm

12/7 Reading (H) 7.45pm

16/7 Leyton Orient (H) 3pm

20/7 Gillingham (H) 7.45pm

22/7 Sutton United (A) 7.30pm

23/7 Ebbsfleet United (H) 3pm

30/7 Thurrock (A) 3pm

2/8 Aveley (A) 7.45

5/8 AFC Hornchurch (A) 7pm

6/8 Great Wakering Rovers (A) 3pm