CONCORD Rangers manager Adam Flanagan wants to be Essex’s top dogs once again after the National league South fixtures were released yesterday.

Flanagan, preparing for his second season at the helm after a successful first campaign in charge, and his team will begin with a trip to St Albans City on Saturday, August 6 before a difficult first home match of term against last year’s beaten play-off finalists Ebbsfleet United.

Home matches against Truro City and Maidenhead follow in August with three more taxing away trips – to Eastbourne Borough, Oxford City and Whitehawk in the first four weeks of term.

The first Chelmsford derby is at the Aspect Arena on Saturday, October 29 before the return fixture on Saturday, February 25.

Their season ends at Ryman Premier League champions Hampton & Richmond Borough on Saturday, April 29.

And Flanagan says he cannot wait to get started.

“Getting the fixtures is always an exciting time for everyone at the club,” he said. “It brings the reality of a new season that little bit closer. In our league you never have any easy fixtures so whoever we got we know it would been tough and the fixtures haven’t let us down.

“Local derbies are always the first point of call when the fixtures are released for me so East Thurrock, Chelmsford after that I look for the Dartford fixture being an old team I use to play for.

“East Thurrock and Chelmsford have significant resource available to them in comparison to ourselves but finances go out the window in derby matches . We will continue to go about our business as per normal and I am sure against both teams we will give a good account of ourselves. “The aim is to once again be the top represented team in Essex in our league next season.”

Fixtures: AUGUST: 6 St Albans (A), 9 Ebbsfleet Utd (H), 13 Truro City (H), 16 Eastbourne Borough (A), 20 Oxford City (A), 27 Maidenhead (H), 29 Whitehawk (A). SEPTEMBER: 3 Welling (H), 6 Bishop's Stortford (H), 10 Weston-Super-Mare (A), 13 Wealdstone (H), 17 FA Cup 2QR, 24 Dartford (A). OCTOBER: 1 FA Cup 3QR, 8 Hungerford (H), 15 Hemel Hempstead (A), 22 Margate (A), 29 Chelmsford (H). NOVEMBER: 5 Bath (A), 12 Poole Town (H), 19 Gosport (A), 26 FA Trophy 3QR. DECEMBER: 3 Hampton & Richmond Borough (H), 10 FA Trophy 1R, 17 Welling (A), 26 East Thurrock (H). JANUARY: 1 East Thurrock (A), 7 Weston-Super-Mare (H), 14 Oxford City (H), 21 Bishop's Stortford (A), 28 St Albans City (H). FEBRUARY: 4 Ebbsfleet United (A), 11 Eastbourne Borough (H), 18 Truro City (A), 25 Chelmsford (A). MARCH: 4 Margate (H), 11 Dartford (H), 18 Hungerford (A), 20 Wealdstone (A), Hemel Hempstead (H). APRIL 1 Poole Town (A), 8 Bath (H), 15 Maidenhead United (A), 17 Whitehawk (H), 22 Gosport Borough (H), 29 Hampton & Richmond Borough (A)