Winger Ben flies in to lift County
COUNTY boss Jim Gannon moved to add winger Ben McKenna to his squad last week as focus turns to the new National League North campaign for The Hatters.
The 24-year-old, who’s already gained a wealth of experience at non-league level, started Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to National League side Barrow after joining just hours earlier, following another potentially serious injury to County’s young winger Adam Thomas.
McKenna will be a familiar face to Hatters supporters, having made more than 100 appearances in the National League North for Bradford Park Avenue, Workington and Stalybridge Celtic – and having scored an eyecatching long-range strike at Edgeley Park in a 3-0 loss against neighbours Stalybridge.
The attacker left Bradford last season to join National League side Southport, and made his claim for Goal of the Season at Haig Avenue after a superb strike after a mazy run against Barrow in March for his former side.
Gannon admitted that Thomas’s injury – the second to be suffered in successive pre-seasons for the former Hednesford winger – had “accelerated” The Hatters’ interest in McKenna, with further strengthening set to follow for Gannon’s side.
County’s reported interest in former midfielders Gary Stopforth and Elliot Osborne has failed to die down in recent weeks, with Gannon adding that new signings will be pivotal to The Hatters’ success as a hectic month approaches – with seven games alone in August.
“We have been looking to add reinforcements to squad over the last two weeks and Ben was a player we have been aware of all pre-season.
“The recent injury to Adam Thomas has accelerated our interest in him and I am delighted to have added him to our squad before the Barrow FC game.”
“The level of quality in our first team at the moment makes it difficult to really improve the starting 11, but it is clear we need to strengthen to maintain the standards that we are setting for ourselves.
“We need competition to keep players sharp, and I would also like to have players who offer different tactical options and allow a change of formation or strategy.
“Ben offers natural width, and with his pace and direct running he should be an exciting addition to the team.”
Meanwhile, new striker Jason Oswell has fired a warning to National League North new boys Spenymoor that The Hatters “are fully focussed” on kickstarting their league campaign with a win – for what would be the third season running.
Oswell, who has helped himself to five goals in six pre-season friendlies, added that the pressure on himself as The Hatters’ new marksman is “a privilege to have” as the 24-year-old seeks to fire his new side to division six success at the fifth time of asking.
“Spennymoor away is a tough opener, and it’s difficult to judge them as they’ve just come up – they’ll be firing on all cylinders but we’ll go ready, prepared and hopefully get the win.”