CLARETS boss Mark Hawkes has backed Michael Cheek to make it in the professional game if he wants it enough.
Cheek grabbed a great hat-trick as Chelmsford saw off Worthing 6-0 in the FA Cup, second qualifying round on Saturday. The other goals came from Evans Kouassi, Mark Hughes and substitute Sam Gregory as the Clarets eased into the next round.
"I think it's important, particularly for strikers, to score in all games they play in, especially getting a hat-trick," Hawkes told the Chronicle.
"I think now Michael has played about 30 games for the club and he's probably scored about 18/19 goals, which is a good return.
"He's still relatively young, only 22 and still has a big future in the game in front of him if he believes in himself. We keep drumming it into him to work hard. I've seen strikers go from non-league to professional football and they haven't had much more ability than Michael.
"It's there if he wants it, but you can't knock it into him. If the lad wants it himself he can make it."
Kouassi went off with a hamstring injury just before the break, but Hawkes was hopeful he will recover quickly.
He said: "We'll assess it again on Monday night when we come into training. I don't think he's pulled it, just hopefully a minor strain in there. So we'll see. Perhaps he'll just miss one game or not much more."
Luke Callander impressed when he came on for Kouassi and the Clarets boss believes that having competition up front has kicked his front line up a notch or two.
"Luke came off the bench and did very well. He played an hour, worked very hard, and I think he created three of the goals from his build-up play. He did everything but score. He put in a better shift than he has done in recent games," he said.
"Michael and Evans played very well last week and that's put him on the back foot. He knows what's required. We've got three great strikers.
"Competition breeds confidence. The ones with the possession of the shirts have to make sure they keep doing it as there's boys ready to take that opportunity. Very early on we only had the two lads up front and it became a little stale for them with no pressure, knowing that if we were playing two up front they'd both play. Now we've got competition up there. It's healthy for the club."
Gregory also came off the bench to bag a late goal, and Hawkes was delighted for him.
"I'm pleased for Sam– it's his first goal for the club," he said. "I think he got a hat-trick in mid-week for the academy as well.
"He didn't have the greatest time for the last month out on loan at Maldon, but he was ill for a couple of weeks of that. Obviously they've also lost their manager so it was a bit up and down for him there, but he's come back and has got work to do.
"It's good to have him back around and I'm pleased he's got his goal."
The City manager also spoke about the importance of the FA Cup for sides like Chelmsford.
"The FA Cup is special. It's the biggest cup competition in England. Every team gets the chance to enter. You have to make days like this really great because although we could go another couple of rounds, we're not going to win the FA Cup," he explained.
"Perhaps if we get a couple of favourable draws and some home games, then why not get a Football League club here? There's still some work to do and we've come through well today."
He added: "Every non-league club needs extra finance. It doesn't matter if you're Chelmsford City or anyone else, the money's always welcome. That's what the FA Cup brings to non-league football, a bit of prize money, extra revenue that they wouldn't necessarily have."
On the game itself, he went on: "We scored six goals and some good ones towards the back end of the game. I wouldn't say we were under any real type of pressure. We gave the ball away sloppily on a couple of occasions and put ourselves under a bit of pressure, which we have to sort out.
"I don't think our goalkeeper has made a really meaningful save. He's palmed one over the bar, but it was regulation from long distance. They were still a good side, but I just think we had a little bit too much for them."
It is back to league action next weekend with a trip to St Albans on Saturday and then a home derby against Concord Rangers on Monday.
"St Albans away is going to be difficult. They like to keep the ball on the deck and pass it. It's a nice pitch down there and it'll suit us as well," said Hawkes.
"In between that and Monday night you go to almost the opposite with Concord, who like to play direct and are a big, physical side. It's two games in the space of three days and very different ones."
The Clarets boss feels that the Saturday/Monday fixtures could benefit his side.
He explained: "We train Monday nights anyway, so for us to play on a Monday night perhaps gives us a bit of an advantage because there's probably not many sides that play Saturday and Monday. They mainly play Saturday and train on a Tuesday and Thursday so our boys get a good rest from Monday night to Thursday night and then we go again. So I think that helps us out a bit."
