Brightlingsea Regent boss James Webster is not letting his team get carried away, despite their impressive 1-0 win over Maldon & Tiptree on Saturday.
Regent moved to within three points of the Ryman North table-topping Jammers thanks to Tom Richardson’s solitary goal. The R’s also have two games in hand on their Essex neighbours.
And although obviously delighted, Webster is still looking at the bigger picture, with 14 league games to go.
“The aim is still to finish in the play-offs,” said the boss.
“People might be talking about us going for the league (title) after the result (against Maldon & Tiptree), but I don’t think we’ve got enough to go on and win it!
“We just want to stay in the play-offs. We’re second at the moment, we’re in the mix, and our aim is to stay in there.
“Maldon are the best team in the league at the moment so for us to match and beat them gives us great confidence going into the rest of the season.”
Saturday’s encounter was as tense, tight, and tough as you’d expect from a Essex derby that saw crucial points as well as bragging rights being fought for.
“I think we probably just edged it on chances created and how we controlled the game from a defensive point of view,” continued Webster.
“We limited Maldon to a few half-chances. We were worried about them getting in behind us, especially their new signing (Colchester United striker Femi Akinwande), but that didn’t happen and we stuck to our game plan well.
“We frustrated them and dealt with their big players well. Liam Nash and Matt Lock were two of their most influential players when we played them at the start of the season (a 2-1 win for Maldon & Tiptree), so it was important to stop them dictating, and we did.”
Regent got their winner through 22-goal Richardson, who got on the end of one of the R’s most effective weapons - Josh Gould’s long throws.
“The long throws are a bit of a weapon for us,” said Webster.
“I’m not a massive fan of them and don’t like using them too much, but when games are tight, like it was, they’re something that could win you a game.”
Meanwhile, Maldon & Tiptree manager Kevin Horlock admitted that Brightlingsea Regent ‘probably just edged it’ on Saturday.
The Jammers were undone by Tom Richardson’s 74th-minute header, following Josh Gould’s long throw, and couldn’t play their normal free-flowing football against opposition who made life difficult for them.
“I’m disappointed to lose the game,” said Horlock, the former Ipswich Town, West Ham, and Manchester City midfielder.
“There wasn’t many chances in it, we had a couple, they had a couple, and it ended up coming down to a long throw which was dangerous all afternoon to be honest.
“They probably deserved it (to win), and they probably just edged it in terms of ventures into our box, albeit the massive throw being the decisive one.
“They stopped us playing, full credit must go to them.”
The Jammers, who are now just three points clear of second-place Brightlingsea, entertain third-place Thurrock next Saturday, with Horlock keen to bounce back.
“We move on, there’s still a lot of football to be played,” said the boss.
“I said in an interview before the game (against Brightlingsea) that win, lose, or draw, whatever happened was never going to decide who is going to win the league.
“We’ve got 12 massive games left and Brightlingsea have got 14, there’s a long way to go and it’s my job now to get the lads heads up because we are capable of going on a winning streak.”
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