BRAINTREE Town skipper Kenny Davis heads into today’s Blue Square Bet Premier clash with Tamworth, at the Amlin Stadium, confident that the club’s young talent have bright futures in the game.

Braintree have made an inconsistent start to the season, winning two and losing two of their first five league games – a trend that perhaps is not totally unexpected given the number of new faces lacking experience at this level.

At 24, Davis, who has just been selected for the England C squad for the game against Belgium next month, is one of the elder statesmen in the squad and is looking to build on an encouraging debut campaign in the Conference’s premier league.

The aim to surpass last season’s 12th-place finish became a more difficult-looking proposition over the summer, following the departure of key players Ben Wright, Jai Reason and Aswad Thomas, but Davis believes Iron’s new-look squad have the ability to make their mark.

“We have not had a bad start and I would have taken top half after five games had I been offered that,” said Davis.

“There have been a couple of poor performances but we are a new team and you have got to be realistic.

“We have got a lot of young players with the potential to play in the Footbsall League, that’s the plan, and hopefully they can go far.

“Then you have got the players like Josh Dawkin and Sam Habergham that have dropped out of the League who will be wanting to get back in there.”

One of Alan Devonshire’s most eye-catching signings so far has been Dan Holman, the striker signed from Histon, who scored twice on his debut in the 4-1 victory at Woking in midweek.

“He is a good player, he likes the ball into feet but can also play behind the striker and outside of the box,” said Davis of Holman, who has signed a year-long contract with the Essex side.

“We obviously lost three key players in the summer, who perhaps should also be playing in the Football League, but the manager has brought in quality and I think we have more of a squad this season with more options.”

Today’s opponents are currently sixth in the league, three points better off than Braintree.

Manager Devonshire is expecting a tough test: “Tamworth were really flying, until they lost 1-0 at Wrexham on Monday, when they also had a sending off (striker Tommy Wright).

“They will be big and strong, so it will be a difficult game, but we will have a go.

“I want us to attack teams. I’ll always play two up front, that won’t change, and it showed at Woking.”

Devonshire confirmed that striker Sean Marks, who appeared for the last 10 minutes as a substitute at Woking, should be fit.