Halstead Town’s players are back in training and manager Mark Benterman says they will be working hard to make sure there is no repeat of the injury problems that blighted them last season.

A string of injury problems to a number of players throughout the season hampered the Humbugs’ chances of battling at the very top of Thurlow Nunn League division one.

So Benterman wants to make sure that there is no repeat and will be introducing pre-season work to make sure the players can maintain their fitness this time around.

He said: “Injuries affected us badly last season and we need to hit the ground running to make sure we are in the mix at Christmas time.

“We just weren’t fit enough last year and we’ll work hard to make sure they are ready this time.”

One key member of last year’s squad who missed a large chunk of the season through injuries was James Regan, but Benterman said the left-back was “raring to go” again now after getting over the ankle and groin problems that dogged him last year.

He added: “James Regan is a huge player for us and I believe he’s the best left-back in the league.

“Thankfully he is now coming back fit and he is raring to go.

“He’ll be like a new addition for us.”

Another player who struggled with injury was central defender Nico Farthing, who only came in for a handful of games before a dislocated shoulder ruled him out.

But he is due to have surgery on it next week and Benterman is hopeful that he will return to the Humbugs in September.

He added: “Nico only played about five or six games for us, but we kept four clean sheets with him in the back line, so we’re looking forward to him coming back in September.

“Hopefully that will be the case but it’s all about how he rehabilitates from the surgery.”