A BUSY summer of wheeling and dealing has already paid dividends for Takeley manager Don Watters as his new-look side ran riot over their derby rivals.

Essex Senior League

Takeley 6 Stansted 2

A BUSY summer of wheeling and dealing has already paid dividends for Takeley manager Don Watters as his new-look side ran riot over their derby rivals.

In front of a 200-strong crowd, a brace each for Anthony James and former Stansted man Joe Galsworthy were added to by strikes from captain Ross Toboloski and Joe Eubell as the Station Road outfit won comfortably.

Watters believes some strong acquisitions, including Galsworthy and James, over the summer and at the back end of last season mean that the squad is now ready to push on.

“At the end of last year we were just seeing out the games as the season didn’t go the way we wanted,” he said. “This year we came back to training two weeks early and the attitude around the club is great.

“This team is built to attack; we may concede a few silly goals like we did tonight but this team will score goals. We have the team playing the right way and we have established a system where players can come in and perform in that system.”

Tyrone White and Scott Forbes were on the scoresheet for Stansted but it was in vain as Takeley dominated. Although new player-coach Forbes now has four goals in two games after a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Barking at the weekend.

However it was Watters and his men, especially Alex James, and wingers who took the plaudits.

Watters added: “We were brilliant tonight, we looked dangerous whenever we had the ball and if our finishing was more clinical we could have had more.

“I don’t normally single out players but Alex Martin was out of this world tonight and Anton Collins will be giving full back nightmares all season.”

The manager believes that the tireless work of the coaches, players and the back room staff has catapulted Takeley above their rivals, who finished in second place last term. He did not predict where his team might finish in the league this season, but added he hoped they were successful.

Next: Takeley travel to Clapton on Saturday and Eton Manor on Wednesday. Stansted go to Basildon United on Saturday and Bethnal Green United on Wednesday.