Rick Andrews says his Stowmarket Town side will need to learn how to break teams down more if they are to push on next season, writes Alex Moss.

Stow travel to table-toppers Histon tomorrow afternoon (3pm) and trail the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division leaders by 11 points with 12 games to go.

At the 26-game mark, the Old Gold and Blacks are three points worse off and have scored seven less goals than at this stage last season, but have conceded six less goals.

Andrews is well aware that some teams this season have come with a game plan to frustrate his side, but he has challenged his players to find a way to nullify that approach.

“(Last Saturday) Whitton came with a game plan, like Brantham did, and we huffed and puffed,” Andrews said.

“We didn’t really make Lewis (Higgins, Whitton goalkeeper) work tremendously. He probably made three or four saves all game.

“That’s something we have to learn to deal with. We have to come up with a way of combating that in the new season and all the rest of it.”

It was a rare cameo from the bench for Stow’s now leading goalscorer Josh Mayhew against Whitton United last Saturday.

Mayhew, who scored 56 goals in his debut season at Greens Meadow in 2017-18, came off the bench to score the winner in a 1-0 win against the Greens, in front of another impressive crowd of 353 at Stow’s home.

“We’ve got a great squad,” Andrews said. “Josh does what he does. It’s his second headed goal probably ever in his time at the club!

“He’s Johnny on the spot and we’re in a fortunate position to bring players on like that to try and win the game.”

Back-to-back home wins for the Old Gold and Blacks have helped Andrews’ men advance to the semi-finals of the Suffolk Premier Cup and move up to fourth in the Premier Division table.

Stow, who trail third-placed Godmanchester Rovers by two points, and second-placed Woodbridge Town by five points, visit relegation-threatened Ely City (17th) on Tuesday night (7.45pm).