IN the aftermath of Dale Brightly's departure Billericay Town are looking to play for keeps as they step up the search for a permanent new goalkeeper.
There are currently three custodians – two loan options and a free agent – training with the Blue Square Bet South club and manager Craig Edwards hopes to sign 'one or possibly two' of those in time for Saturday's home game with Havant & Waterlooville.
Current deputy Alex Bonnard has slipped down the pecking order after a gaffe in Tuesday's Essex Senior Cup gifted AFC Hornchurch a late leveller in a 3-3 draw. Town went on to lose 4-1 on penalties.
"Our keeper had an absolute nightmare," said Edwards.
"We battered Hornchurch. We were camped in their half for the whole of the second half then, two minutes in to injury time, the best you can say it was it was a pea roller and it was just an awful mistake.
"Finding a new keeper has been the priority for a number of weeks now and hopefully we will get it sorted this week."
Billericay won the Essex Senior Cup the season before last for the first time in 35 years and Edwards concedes their best chance of a cup this season has already slipped by. "Realistically it's probably the best chance of silverware," he said. "It was disappointing to go out."
The Blues had the luxury of a mini mid-season break due to Welling United's involvement in the FA Cup but Edwards is unsure of the affect a rest will have on his squad.
"It could be a good thing," he said.
"We've been trying to get a keeper in. A couple of injuries have cleared up, so it could be good but of course we won't know until Saturday."
Billericay tried to arrange a league game with Maidenhead United on Saturday but they turned the offer down. Instead a friendly was arranged for last night (Tuesday) at home to Chesham United.
Dave Collis (calf), Junior Luke (back) and Charlie Taylor (flu) are all expected to recover in time for the weekend. "If we'd have gone to Dorchester we'd have been severely under strength but I'd have still taken the game," said Edwards. "You'll never get us crying, we'd have gone there with four or five out and you could say we would be wise not to play the game but we would have done."
On Tuesday Town visit Dover Athletic and Edwards refuses to abandon his attacking instincts away from home.
When asked if he's likely to flood the midfield, he responded: "No chance.
"If you look at the results of our games they're full of goals. We only go to win games. They've all be high scoring affairs.
"Our games have probably been the highest scoring in the league for and against, a lot of them have perhaps been down to our goalkeeping problems."
The Welling match has ben re-arranged for Tuesday, November 27. Kick-off 7.45pm.
