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
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here