Brightlingsea Regent boss James Webster has backed his ‘breathtaking’ strikeforce to keep his side in the hunt for promotion into the Ryman Premier League next season.

The Essex club, who saw Tuesday night’s proposed home game against Soham Town Rangers called off at the last minute due to a frozen pitch, currently sit third in the Ryman North Division with games in hand on their higher-placed rivals - including Essex rivals Maldon & Tiptree.

Regent have scored 73 goals in 30 league games so far this term. They are unbeaten in 2017, scoring 18 times in six games, including four wins and two draws.

“We’re scoring lots of goals,” said Webster, whose side visit Great Wakering Rovers on Saturday, before hosting Maldon the following weekend in a tasty top-of-the-table derby.

“Our firepower this year is breathtaking. We’ve scored 90-odd goals in all competitions!”

Leading the goalscoring charts for Regent are Aaron Condon (28 goals in all competitions), Tom Richardson (20 goals), and Phil Kelly (14 goals).

“All three (players) have been on fire,” continued Webster.

“We got Aaron from Clacton in the summer. He’s always scored lots of goals in the Thurlow Nunn and he’s made the step up (to Ryman North) before with Maldon & Tiptree and Needham, but for one reason or another, it’s never really worked out.

“He’s at the age now (26) where he needs to push on, he came back to us on the back of his best season for Clacton and I said to him ‘just give it another go’.

“He’s been excellent, and 90% of his goals have come from the wing. Give him a chance and he’ll take it!”

Fellow frontman Richardson, a summer signing from Brentwood Town, scored his 20th goal of the season against his former employers last Saturday, with Webster delighted at his immediate impact at North Road.

“Tom’s an out-and-out number nine, he works hard, is very physical, has a good turn of pace, and gets hold of the ball for us,” beamed the boss.

“Our highest goalscorer over the last two seasons has been Phil Kelly with 17 goals, so to have one striker on 20 goals, and two wingers on 28 and 14 at this stage of the season is phenomenal.”

After leading Regent to two top-seven finishes since promotion into the Ryman North in 2014, just missing out on the play-offs both times, Webster’s aims this season are clear.

“Our aim at the start of the season was to get into the play-offs, and we are in and amongst it,” he said.

“We’ll look to keep up there for as long as we can and see where we end up!”