DAN Trenkel has called on Great Wakering Rovers to follow up their draw at Tilbury with victory at Barkingside tomorrow.

The Rovers’ player-manager started in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw and said he was relieved to pick up their first home point of the season, off the back of five defeats at Burroughs Park.

“In all honesty getting that point was a relief,” said Trenkel. “We should really have won the game and that has been the case in a few of our early season matches.

“But now it is our job to follow that up. We won well at Romford but we almost rested on our laurels after that match and that can’t happen again.”

Trenkel says Barkingside pose a tough test for his side, and he is expecting a real battle on the field.

“They were promoted from the Essex Senior League two years before us and are a very physical side,” said Trenkel. “The pitch is notoriously bad up there so that will be a challenge. We just need to show we want it more than them and we will get the right result.”

Trenkel said his side would need to watch out for the quality of players such as Steve Carvell and John Bricknell, who was top scorer for Enfield 1893 in the Essex Senior League last term, and said the Ryman North had changed a lot since Rovers were relegated in 2011/12.

“There is a lot more quality in the division than when we last played here,” he said. “Before there were about six or seven sides challenging but all the others were a real lottery. There is a lot of money flowing about and it is making the league more competitive than ever before.”

*In the Ryman Premier League, East Thurrock United travel to Hampton & Richmond Borough, following their FA Cup penalty triumph in the week. The hosts have endured a wretched start to the season and sit in the drop zone, having won only twice in 10 games. They have also conceded a staggering 27 goals in that time, the worst in the division.