ROCKS WON’T STOP ROLLING
...and Sam won’t stop scoring
ANYONE expecting East Thurrock United to struggle in their debut National League South campaign better think again, says manager John Coventry.
He says Concord Rangers are their blueprint – and warned striker Sam Higgins won’t stop scoring goals.
The Rocks shocked the Ryman Premier last season by sealing promotion via the playoffs. Fashionable they may not be, but they have an undeniable way of getting things done.
Trips to Essex and their modest Rookery Hill home have all the potential to become a graveyard for the league’s established clubs and its big spenders. Especially with Higgins about. Their very own version of Big Sam has plundered an astonishing 89 competitive goals in the past two seasons.
Ambitious
Yes, it’s a tall order to get anywhere near his 45 in 44 appearances last term with the jump a big one – but Coventry says club and captain aren’t expecting strife when the season kicks off next weekend. His team begin at home to
fellow National League South newboys Hungerford and the manager said: “We’re not here to enjoy the ride – that’s never what we’ve been about as a club.
“It’s next to impossible to get players to buy into it if you say ‘we’re just looking to survive’ as we’re all ambitious and wouldn’t be in the game if we weren’t. We’re excited about the challenge.
“Sometimes you have got to look for comparisons to give you a flavour. I admire Concord Rangers, we’re looking to emulate them. They’re about to begin their fourth year at this level and they’ve not had one season of struggle. “Are they bigger than
us? I’d say they probably aren’t. Player for player, are they much stronger? I’ve not seen anything too much better than what we have here.
“That’s not me being at all disrespectful as we get on well, but what I am saying is there is no reason to be fearful of this league. You never know, we might surprise a few.” And in Higgins, he trusts. He’s not the fittest or the fastest but you can’t put a price on a striker who has made hitting the back of the net seem like child’s play for the past two years. “Sam is Sam, he’s a person who if he wants to perform he will perform,” added Coventry, who described the club’s pre-season as “bitty” and “messy” in parts. “I’ve got total faith in him. Of course reaching the heights of last year may be beyond even him, but he’ll have fun trying.” Coventry added he wants “one, maybe two” new players to come in but said he would have no qualms starting the campaign with his current squad.