Kem admits it is a tricky juggling act at Brightlingsea Regent

The R's are one place above the relegation zone after losing seven of their last eight BetVictor Isthmian League premier division matches, most recently going down 2-0 at home to Kingstonian.

Izzet says he and his players are working hard to make improvements, to try and arrest the club's slide.

But with fixtures coming thick and fast, he admits it's proving a tricky juggling act.

“I need time to get my players to implement what I want them to do," said the Colchester United legend.

“But we’re having to do that while also trying to win games of football.

“I don’t want us to be a team that smashes it long. I want us to pass the ball.

“It’s about making better decisions but a lot of the time that comes with repetition.

"In other words, the more you do something, the more natural it becomes.

“That’s the kind of thing that comes after eight week of pre-season and playing in matches – friendlies – where the results don’t really matter.

“We haven’t got that luxury.

“Instead, we’re going into games that we need to be winning, like the Kingstonian one.

“All I can do is keep giving them information and hope it sinks in sooner rather than later.

“The sooner that happens, the better we become as a football team.

“It’s really difficult but no excuse.

“I’m not making any excuses because that’s my job and that’s what I took on."

Regent switch their attention to an Essex Senior Cup third-round tie at Bowers and Pitsea tonight.

"Bowers will be very direct," added Izzet.

“That’s how they play and we’ll have to match that, while also trying to impose our game on them.

“We have to pass the ball and get our full-backs pushing on. That’s the way I want us to play."

Elsewhere tonight, WITHAM TOWN have a date at Tilbury in group six of the Velocity Trophy.

HARWICH AND PARKESTON host COGGESHALL UNITED in the Thurlow Nunn League First Division Knockout Cup while HALSTEAD TOWN and WIVENHOE TOWN are set to meet in the Tolleshunt D'Arcy Memorial Cup.