Haverhill Rovers boss Ben Cowling on side’s promotion ambitions, signing of Ediz Greengrass and departure of Tom Debenham to Lakenheath

Haverhill Rovers boss Ben Cowling has admitted his side ‘need to get promoted’ from the Thurlow Nunn League First Division North this season, while there has been more transfer activity at the club in the past week.

Following the additions of Shaun Avis, Ryan Taylor, Joe Greenslade-Cross and Archie Cowe, The New Croft outfit have completed the signing of centre-back Ediz Greengrass from Histon.

The Australian-born defender, who has suffered with injuries over the past year, has previously played for Biggleswade United and Crawley Green Reserves.

While Rovers have made their fifth addition of the summer, a star from last season’s campaign, Tom Debenham, has departed to rejoin Premier Division side Lakenheath.

The attacking midfielder netted 16 goals in 21 games for Rovers last season and was a key part of Cowling’s side’s attack after last campaign’s top scorer, Greenslade-Cross, left for Soham.

“I think Lakenheath have given him an opportunity to play up front whereas we brought Sean in,” said Cowling.

“Tom’s a big character around the changing room, he’s great to work with. We wish him well. Ultimately, players will play where they want to play. He's got an opportunity to play up front there, good luck to him.

“He’s a great guy, a good player, he will be missed but we want players who are committed to what we need to achieve.”

Rovers, who have announced they will face an Ipswich Town XI in a friendly on Tuesday, July 30, were defeated 5-1 at Stansted on Saturday. New signing Kai Nicholls netted the only goal for Rovers, his third of pre-season.

Cowling admitted friendlies ‘don’t mean anything’, as he looks ahead to this Saturday’s curtain-raiser at newly-promoted Gorleston Reserves (3pm), who won the Fosters Solicitors Anglian Combination Premier Division last term.

“I think that’s a really hard test, to be honest. I’m not sure you could have got too many harder game,” he said. “Travelling away, a 3G (pitch) they know well, they’re champions of a Step 7 division so they come into this with a winning mentality and that winning momentum takes teams through.

“I think that’s one of the toughest games we could have been given to be honest.”

Speaking on his side’s aims for the upcoming season, Cowling added: “I think there’s a determination in the group of what we want to achieve. We’re not here for a jolly, we’ve got a job to do and I think everyone knows what that job is.

“We need to get promoted, that’s why we’re here and that’s why the players we’re bringing in are here.

“It’s a lot easier to say that than actually do that, we know there are very good teams in this division that we fully respect, and realistically we’ve got 30-odd points to catch up on what we achieved last year.

“One hundred per cent we’re going into the season with the ambition of getting promoted.

“We’ve put together a really good team off the pitch, we’ve put together a very good group on the pitch. We’ve given ourselves every opportunity.

“The club behind the scenes have been great as well, everyone’s on board with what we’re trying to achieve.”