GREAT WAKERING ROVERS

RYMAN NORTH

How do the fixtures look? Were it not for Great Wakering Rovers’ good start last year, they would have been in a relegation dog fight come end of the campaign.

Gary Ansell’s team will be desperate to avoid such a wretched end to the season this time out, with new boys Norwich United first up at Burroughs Park.

With matches against local sides Thurrock, Tilbury, Aveley and Bowers & Pitsea this season, there are plenty of derby clashes to look forward to.

Home form will be crucial for Rovers, with four home matches of six in a busy November, although a potentially difficult end to the season means Ansell will look to have their league position sorted by then - with Brentwood Town, Bowers and Bury Town their last three matches.

Key period: December and New Year. Bowers & Pitsea, Thurrock and Tilbury are the opponents between Boxing Day and January 2, with the final two away from home. Although all difficult games, a run of derby victories would be great for morale.

The manager’s view: Gary Ansell: “There are no easy games in our league. You might look at some games and think there are points there but it is much of a muchness.

“I don’t know anything about Norwich United who we play first up as I have never played them. The teams that have gone out of the league have arguably been replaced with better teams.

“We will all look to start well and we did that well last time which was important as we had a difficult period later in the season but collectively the squad has improved.

“We may look to break it down into six or seven game spells and give ourselves a points target.

“The local matches are always the best ones as there is a bit more on it and with Thurrock, Tilbury and Bowers & Pitsea over Christmas it is a chance to put some significant results together.

“It doesn’t matter who you face but if you are confident you can go on a run. It took Trenks (Dan Trenkel) to leave last year for the team to realise that.”

Fixtures: AUGUST: 13 Norwich United (H), 16 Heybridge Swifts (A), 20 FA Cup Preliminary Round, 27 Bury Town (A), 29 Tilbury (H) SEPTEMBER: 3 Waltham Abbey (A), 6 Thurrock (H), 10 Phoenix Sports (H), 17 Brentwood Town (A), 19 Aveley (A), 24 Thamesmead Town (H), 27 VCD Athletic (H) OCTOBER: 1 Wroxham (A), 8 FA Trophy Preliminary Round, 11 Cheshunt (H), 18 Heybridge Swifts (H), 22 AFC Hornchurch (A), 29 Dereham Town (A) NOVEMBER: 5 Maldon & Tiptree (H), 12 Soham Town Rangers (A), 19 Romford (H), 22 VCD Athletic (A), 26 Wroxham (H), 29 Aveley (H) DECEMBER: 3 Thamesmead Town (A), 10 Witham Town (A), 17 Haringey Borough (H), 26 Bowers & Pitsea (H), 31 Thurrock (A) JANUARY: 2 Tilbury (A), 7 Ware (H), 14 Dereham Town (H), 21 Maldon & Tiptree (A), 28 Brightlingsea Regent (H) FEBRUARY: 4 Norwich United (A), 11 AFC Hornchurch (H), 18 Cheshunt (A), 25 Soham Town Rangers (H) MARCH: 4 Romford (A), 11 Witham Town (H), 18 Haringey Borough (A), 25 Waltham Abbey (H) APRIL: 1 Phoenix Sports (A), 8 Ware (A), 15 Brentwood Town (H), 17 Bowers & Phoenix (A), 22 Bury Town (H)