Mark Benterman believes that the number of young players and supporters who turned out in appalling weather to back Halstead Town’s Youth Day shows the potential that the club has got to grow.

Youth players were joined by parents, staff and sponsors for the event at Rosemary Lane, with 426 watching the senior first-team’s Thurlow Nunn League division one game against Ely City. A 5-1 defeat was a disappointment, but first-team boss Mark Benterman said the Youth Day support showed that the future is bright for the Humbugs.

“It was a fantastic day,” he said.

“The weather didn’t help, but to get all those people there and then have 426 there to watch our game was superb.

“It shows the potential that the club has and it was very pleasing to hear comments from people who saw the work that has been done at the club over the last year.

“We just have to make sure that we keep moving things forward.

“It was a shame that the result (in the game against Ely) didn’t go our way, but an event like this shows we are much more than just what happens on the pitch for the first-team.”

See this week's paper to see pictures of Halstead's youth sides from the Youth Day event.