New Leiston signing Kyle Hammond wants to pick up where he left off at Maldon & Tiptree, after joining Glenn Driver’s Blues on a two-year contract.

The 21-year-old former Ipswich Town defender played all 52 games for the Jammers last season as Kevin Horlock’s men lost out in the semi-finals of the Ryman North play-offs.

A scorer of five goals from right-back, Ipswich-born Hammond was a key player for the Essex side last season, relaunching his career after two cruciate knee ligament injuries curtailed his development at Portman Road.

“I really enjoyed last season with Maldon and I just want to target more of the same this time round,” said Hammond, whose new team just failed to make the Ryman Premier play-offs last season.

“Hopefully Leiston and I can go one better though and win promotion.

“I played every game last season and it was nice to get some games under my belt.

“I am pleased to join Leiston and liked what Glenn Driver said to me when we met earlier in the week.

“The way they play football and their style suits me down to the ground.”

Hammond was a promising talent at Ipswich but ended up leaving the club in May 2016, without having made a senior appearance for Mick McCarthy’s side.

“I have not looked back really and not had an injury since, touch-wood,” Hammond added.

“It is not as though I have had an ongoing muscle problem or anything, they were freak accidents both times I got injured.”

With time on his side, Hammond is at an exciting stage of his fledgling career and would not be the first to make a late breakthrough in the Football League if, indeed, he gets his chance.

Having been a professional with Colchester United’s under-23 squad last season – the arrangement allowed him to play for Maldon & Tiptree on matchdays – Hammond said: “If the opportunity came along I would be silly to turn something like that down, but it won’t be the end of the world if it doesn’t happen.”