Littlehampton Town aim to improve on mid-table finish

Mitch Hand, joint manager at The Sportsfield alongside George Gaskin, reports that training has been ‘brilliant’ and says there is a determination at the club to sharpen up after a mixed first season in the Isthmian south-east division.

Golds have beaten Wick and Pagham and lost to Midhurst in their early friendlies and play Sheerwater on Saturday.

Their second Isthmian season kicks off at home to Beckenham on Satuday, August12.

Hand said: “Training has been brilliant, I feel like the club’s going in the right direction. The mood and the attitude around being progressive and conforming to the level we’re at now is completely different to last year.

"The boys know it’s going to take a lot more commitment and effort for us to become a sustainable step four team.

"We lost three or four from last season, boys that just couldn’t commit to what we’re trying to do.

"The boys were class for us last year but people move on and in football if you stand still you’re moving backwards – so we’ve got to improve in everything we do.

"We’ve signed four or five lads who have played at this level previously. We’ve got Sheerwater to play this week and Worthing on Saturday week.

"With the fixtures coming out, it all feels real and we can’t wait to get going now.”

Along the road at Crabtree Park, Wick midfielder Johan van Driel intends to take another step towards full fitness in Saturday’s friendly at home to Petersfield Town (2pm).

A knee injury means the Dragons captain has not played a competitive match since the turn of the year and his absence was felt as they missed out on SCFL Division 1 promotion.

But van Driel left the bench in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to AFC Whyteleafe and played more than an hour in Tuesday’s 4-0 defeat to Premier Division Saltdean. Saturday will provide another chance for him to get valuable minutes under his belt.

Football – page 70