Adam Flint is hoping that his players can turn their focus fully on Ryman League division north progression now the distraction of the Essex Senior Cup is out of the way.

The Witham manager admitted that the chance to face Colchester United at their home ground in the fourth round of the county cup had been on his players’ minds in recent weeks.

The game ended with a 6-0 defeat for Town as the pedigree and fitness of Colchester’s full-time youngsters showed, but they can now turn their attentions completely to league matters.

Witham head to Aveley on Saturday and then host Phoenix Sports at the Village Glass Stadium on Tuesday (kick-off 7.45pm) and Flint wants them to press on up the league.

He said: “The boys have had the Essex Senior Cup game in the back of their minds for the last couple of weeks as it’s been like a cup final to them.

“I’ve been trying to play it down and get it out of their heads, but it’s out of the way now and we can start cracking on with the league.

“I know it’s a cliché but it is our bread and butter and we can focus fully on it now we have had this game.

“We have been doing well in the league, though, and we should have got three points on Saturday (against Cheshunt).

“I’ve said to the boys that if we can get into the top ten at Christmas then we can be in and around it.”

Flint said he was hoping that Michael Osei may be available again for the trip to Aveley after a four-match ban and he was also pleased to have players back after injury lay-offs.

One of those is Max Bradford, who played 90 minutes against Colchester, and Flint feels he may have some tough selection calls to make.

He added: “Nathan (Koranteng) is back in now after his suspension and we’re hoping that the Essex Senior Cup game counted as the fourth (and final) one of Michael Osei’s ban.

“Hopefully we’ll have him back in contention and we have everyone back fit now so I will have to leave some out and make some tough decisions.”

While the 6-0 result against Colchester was tough on his side, Flint believes that the experience of facing a full-time team at a venue like the U’s Weston Homes Community Stadium will have been a positive one for his young squad.

He said: “It is what it is – they are full-time and we gave them the first goal, but we played some nice stuff at times.

“I don’t think six-nil did us justice as we are a good side at our level.

“They were clinical up front, though, with someone like Macauley Bonne, who is a Zimbabwean international.

“I thought Lance (Akins) did alright against him but he was clinical.

“I didn’t want to lose six-nil, but it was always a long shot that we’d win and it was nice for the boys to be able to play in a stadium like that.

“It was probably only Nathan (Koranteng) and Johnny Watson who had played at a ground like that before.

“We can take things from it like boys getting experience and some more getting the fitness that they need.

“There are some who may not have played too much and it was another 90 minutes in their legs.”