DARREN Manning wants his Hullbridge Sports side to be more clinical when they head to Brentwood Town tomorrow.

Sports suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Coggeshall Town last week thanks to a controversially awarded spot-kick converted by Concord Rangers loanee Joe Claridge.

And Manning, whose players have adapted to Isthmian North quickly after winning the Essex Senior League title last season, feels Hullbridge should currently be third in the standings rather than residing in 14th spot.

“It’s a big game for us this weekend because Brentwood are a side likely to be in and around us come the end of the season and you need to win those games,” said Manning.

“I think we should have eight more points than we have at the moment because we should have beaten Coggeshall, Histon and Dereham Town.

“Instead, we have come away from those three games with just a point and it’s really fine margins that are going against us at the moment.

“We need to flip it around and start getting the rub of the green.”

Manning, whose side saw their Isthmian League Cup clash at Great Wakering Rovers abandoned in midweek after the hosts’ Josh Wiggins suffered a horrific double leg break, feels Sports should have beaten promotion favourites Coggeshall last weekend.

“We were the better side and in the ascendancy in the second half,” added Manning.

“I am seeing it as three points dropped and the penalty should not have been given.

“We were also reduced to 10 men after Joe Wright’s red card.

“I have no qualms over the red card, but their player should have been sent off as well and he was only booked.”