MANAGER Mark McLean is confident that his Halstead Town players can adapt as necessary if their home pitch proves challenging in a hectic schedule of fixtures at the Milbank Stadium.

Last weekend’s Thurlow Nunn League division one game against Braintree Town Reserves - which Halstead lost 4-2 - was played in torrential rain and left the home pitch battered.

Further wet weather then postponed Tuesday’s scheduled home fixture against Framlingham Town and while the Humbugs are on the road tomorrow at Little Oakley, McLean knows they will be seeing plenty of their own surface in the next few weeks.

Following the trip to Oakley, there are due to be three home league games before the end of the month, starting with hosting Essex rivals Holland FC on Tuesday.

The club are also hosting the Chell Trophy final between Saffron Walden Reserves and Stowmarket Town Reserves the following night.

McLean is confident the pitch will hold up to the demands, but knows his players can adapt as they need to.

“The guys have been looking to get on it to work on it this week so hopefully it will be OK,” he said.

“Our pitch has been brilliant this season and we have to be proud of that.

“I think the fact that we got last Friday’s game on shows how good it has been, but it did take a beating in that game.

“It was a game where the play of both sides exploited the whole pitch so there wasn’t really a part of it that wasn’t affected.

“However, there is plenty of life in that pitch and that’s good because it’s going to need to host a lot of football in the next few weeks.

“We have first-team games on Tuesday and the following Saturday and there’s also a Chell Trophy game on there on Wednesday.

“I’m sure it will be OK but if it’s not conducive to good football then we’ll have to make sure we adapt.

“There is a way we like to play, but we will adapt accordingly if we need to.

“Time will tell, but we have the players we need to adapt.

“To be honest, we will just make it more basic. I hope we don’t have to as I’m sure there is enough in the pitch so we don’t, but we have the boys to adapt.”

Before the home games, though, is a trip to Little Oakley and McLean will be looking for his team to bounce back from losing to Braintree last week.

He added: “Oakley have had a strong mentality coming up after winning everything in the Border League last year and that strength will carry you through a lot.

“I think they got caught a bit cold at times earlier in the season, but they have to be pleased with how they have settled in this league.

“We were 2-0 up and relatively comfortable when we played them earlier in the season and ended up edging it 3-2.

“So we know they don’t give up and with that foundation, you won’t go far wrong.

“But I believe we have got better since then.

“I know the result didn’t go our way last Friday, but we are in a good place.”

McLean said he expected Adam Hampson to still be out with a knee problem, while Jack Schelvis and Joe Morris would both be unavailable for the trip to Little Oakley.