New Cornard United manager Tom Clark adds firepower to Thurlow Nunn League First Division North club's attack

New manager Tom Clark has wasted little time in adding what he feels is some much needed firepower to Cornard United’s attack, writes Alex Moss.

The former Tiptree Jobserve player-coach, who joined the Ards as assistant manager to Dave Childs in November last year, was promoted into the hot seat at Blackhouse Lane last week, following the departure of Childs.

And ahead of his first game in charge, at home to Haverhill Borough this Saturday (3pm), the new boss has brought in two strikers to bolster the forward line of the Thurlow Nunn League First Division North club for the rest of the campaign.

Former frontman Scott Sloots has left higher-league Stanway Rovers to return to the Ards, while Tiptree Engaine’s leading goalscorer Aaron Collier has been snapped up by Clark.

Sloots still tops the scoring charts at Blackhouse Lane this term with 17 goals in 15 appearances, the most scored by a Cornard player since 2005/06 when Craig Cutts and Thomas Childs netted 28 and 19 goals respectively.

Collier joins from Essex & Suffolk Border League Premier Division side Tiptree Engaine, for whom he has scored 21 goals in 23 games this season.

“What we need is firepower,” Clark said. “We had a good training session last week and there’s a good morale around the group.

“Scott Sloots has come back and will go into the line-up on Saturday, and Aaron Collier joins us from Tiptree Engaine.

“To bring players in at this stage of this season took a little bit of persuading. Scott was at Stanway, who are in a cup semi-final and they’re going for promotion, but he can see what we’re trying to do at the club.

“We want to pick up as many points as we can and finish high enough to be in the FA Cup next season.

“Ideally we’d need to finish in the top 10. If we can win at the weekend, and all the results go our way, we could climb a few places.

“We’re not far away from the top 10. We’ve got games against the teams around us which we need to do well in, if we are to finish higher.”

Cornard currently sit in 15th place in the First Division North table, having lost their last five games, the last one being a 2-0 defeat away at Framlingham Town a fortnight ago.

Last Saturday’s home clash with Needham Market Reserves was postponed due to the weather and has been rearranged for Tuesday, March 31.