ANOTHER season is over and it has been a successful one, on the whole, for the majority of south Essex’s non-league teams. With East Thurrock United and Bowers & Pitsea winning promotion and Concord Rangers and Basildon United winning cup competitions, there has been plenty to cheer in the 2015/16 season.

The week LUKE LAMBERT rounds up all our teams’ seasons, with today’s focus on Billericay Town’s campaign in the Ryman Premier League. Here is what Craig Edwards had to say.

A week after the season has finished, how do you view what you have achieved this year?

To get a side together after losing 15 members of a 17 man squad over the summer is an achievement in itself. We had a phenomenal record against the top eight sides in the division with only Hampton & Richmond taking six points off of us and they were very close games.

We got plenty of points against the likes of East Thurrock, Kingstonian, Enfield and Bognor Regis Town so that was very pleasing.

What is your biggest satisfaction about the season?

The emergence of the young players was very satisfying. They have really brought into what we are trying to do here and that was crucial if we wanted to have a successful season.

We really produced in the big games and seeing as so many of these boys were playing in the Under-21s as well is a really impressive achievement.

Also the way we responded to the 1-0 defeat to Hampton & Richmond Borough was really impressive. We only lost one in 20 league games in one run and that was excellent.

What is your biggest disappointment about the season?

Our failings against the so called lesser sides in the division. Our home record against them was really poor and we only took eight points from a possible 24 and that wasn’t good enough.

If we had an improved record against those sides we would definitely have been in the play-off places and that is hard to take.

Also the performances in the cup competitions. We were beaten at the first hurdle in each of them and that has never happened to me as a manager before.

Which player(s) has impressed you the most this season?

My young player of the season was Alex Stephenson and his performances this season were a real bonus. He came in from Southend manor and I thought he may get a go in the first team but it was mainly as an under-21 player. He has been a key member of the defence.

Also guys like Will Putt who made his debut on the final day and Tom Derry, Conor Hubble, Quentin Monville. They guys are all so young but were hugely impressive. Even the more seasoned players like Jack Giddens, George Beavan and Teddy Nesbitt are relatively young so that was great to see.

What was your favourite game? And why?

The 6-0 win against Met Police. It came just three days after the terrible display against Hampton & Richmond Borough and to get that turnaround so quickly took a massive effort.

The Hampton game was the worst performance I have seen from a Billericay team in the six years I have been here. We were no-where near them and I wondered if the team could turn it around. But they did and for such a young side to show character like that was really something.

What are your targets for next season?

It depends what happens over the summer. If we lose 15 of a 17 man squad again and have to rebuild I would probably say top eight. But if we keep this group together and crack on then there is no reason we can’t get top five and I would expect that after this season.

What have you learned about yourself as a manager this season?

I am still very hungry for success. The first weekend without football I had no idea what to do with myself and I was already thinking about the new season. I hurt just as much when we lose and I enjoy ever victory just as much as the first.

Can you give Billericay Town a score out of 10 for this season? And explain why?

7/10 – to do what we did with a young and experienced squad is really impressive but the mark would be two marks higher if we had shown what we were capable of on a regular basis.

How did they do?

Ryman Premier League: 9th

FA Cup: First Qualifying Round

FA Trophy: First Qualifying Round

Ryman League Cup: Preliminary Round

Essex Senior Cup: Third Round