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Gary Monti brings in seven players in first week as Cornard United manager and confident new-look side can make a play-off charge




After bringing in seven players in his first few days as Cornard United’s manager Gary Monti is confident he can be the man to reawaken what he sees as a ‘sleeping giant’ in the Thurlow Nunn League First Division North.

The Ards fell to a 3-2 home defeat to his former club Wivenhoe Town on Saturday – whom he left after four years in charge in the summer to go to First Division South outfit Southend Manor – to leave them 10 points adrift of the play-offs places.

But after assessing the scene on Saturday, in what was the club’s fourth straight league defeat and sixth in all competitions, Monti is bullish about his chances of extending their season with a spot in the top five.

Cornard United manager Gary Monti is confident he can salvage the club’s season Picture: Mecha Morton
Cornard United manager Gary Monti is confident he can salvage the club’s season Picture: Mecha Morton

“I am really confident of getting them at least into the play-offs, providing we can get everyone there at training and games,” said the man who replaced Jack Wignall, following the latter resigning with assistant Lee Townrow over unrealistic expectations with a reduced budget.

"On paper I think we've got one of the strongest teams in the league. It's just getting them to gel and get them going again.

"They are a bit of a sleeping giant really. The facilities are very, very good there.

Ryan Culleton was Gary Monti’s captain at his previous club, Southend Manor Picture: Mecha Morton
Ryan Culleton was Gary Monti’s captain at his previous club, Southend Manor Picture: Mecha Morton

"They get a decent crowd and they deserve to be playing higher.

"I know the emphasis in the past has been on local players.

"I think they've found it hard in the past to attract players but it’s within striking range of Colchester and Chelmsford where a lot of payers will come from."

Charlie Biggs has also left Southend Manor to play under Gary Monti again Picture: Mecha Morton
Charlie Biggs has also left Southend Manor to play under Gary Monti again Picture: Mecha Morton

His centre-back partnership from his Southend Manor side, captain Ryan Culleton and Charlie Biggs, joined him while winger Scott Kemp came across from Hyebridge Swifts to link up with his brother again.

Midfielders Lewis Soraf, from Witham Town and Tom White, from Halstead Town, were also part of the new contingent that all went into the squad to face Wivenhoe, with the exception of O'Brien who was away on holiday.

“Most of these players have been with me at Wivenhoe and Southend,” said Monti, who left a Manor side ninth in the table to reduce his long commute and work in a catchment area he is more used to again.

Central midfielder Tom White has joined Cornard following a spell with Halstead Town Picture: Mecha Morton
Central midfielder Tom White has joined Cornard following a spell with Halstead Town Picture: Mecha Morton

“They're all good top-quality players. They're all players that are going to enhance the team.”

He added: "We're going to build a good team.

Tyler Kemp was one of Monti’s first signings revealed last week, with the no 10 coming across from Holland FC Picture: Mecha Morton
Tyler Kemp was one of Monti’s first signings revealed last week, with the no 10 coming across from Holland FC Picture: Mecha Morton

"We won't flood the place with players as we obviously want to keep some local lads there as well.

"It's just finding a system that suits all of the players and get them to gel."

With five new signings starting Saturday’s game, it was Wivenhoe who broke the deadlock early in the second half through Ben Parkin's header from a corner.

Lewis Soraf is a central midfielder who joins Cornard from Witham Town Picture: Mecha Morton
Lewis Soraf is a central midfielder who joins Cornard from Witham Town Picture: Mecha Morton

Debut goals followed from Tyler Kemp, against his old club, and substitute White before Ryan Lewis drew the visitors level.

What proved to be the winner then arrived for the Dragons via Bogdan Masnita.

"Saturday was a very experimental team that played but having said that they played very well,” said Monti.

Lewis Soraf is a central midfielder who joins Cornard from Witham Town Picture: Mecha Morton
Lewis Soraf is a central midfielder who joins Cornard from Witham Town Picture: Mecha Morton

"We created so many chances and the game should have been put to bed in the first half to be honest but we didn't and we lost because of it.”

It left Cornard in 13th spot ahead of travelling to a FC Parson Drove side on Saturday who lie seventh but having played four more games than the Suffolk side.

“It’s a long drive,” said Monti, “in all honesty I do not know a lot about the North league. I know Holland, Pegasus and Harwich from previous years but the rest of the teams I don't really know so it's a learning curve for the first few weeks.”

Winger or attacking midfielder Scott Kemp is back with his brother Tyler following a spell with Heybridge Swifts, with the pair having come through AFC Sudbury’s academy Picture: Mecha Morton
Winger or attacking midfielder Scott Kemp is back with his brother Tyler following a spell with Heybridge Swifts, with the pair having come through AFC Sudbury’s academy Picture: Mecha Morton

His backroom team has also seen an addition in numbers with Pete Travers joining as a coach following a spell at Halstead Town to work alongside his assistant John Thackray and fellow coach Joe Stevens.

Quizzed on the club’s budgetary constraints, off the back of seven new players arriving, he said: "There is a budget it is not a silly budget, it's not a budget anywhere near what I was told they had last season but for the level of football it's the right sized budget.

"It's not over the top and it's a budget we can work to and stick to."

Despite the incomings he said it was ‘a clean slate’ for players already at the club to prove themselves to win a shirt.