Rick Andrews keeping feet on the ground as Stowmarket go top

Rick Andrews says he is not getting carried away after seeing his Stowmarket Town side take top spot in the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division this week.

The Old Gold and Blacks cruised past Brantham Athletic 5-0 on Tuesday night, with Josh Mayhew netting a hat-trick and George Quantrell and Sam Nunn also getting on the scoresheet.

With Stanway Rovers and Norwich United both dropping points on the same night, it meant that Stow climbed to the summit for the first time this season, and five days quicker than they did in 2018/19.

Tuesday’s win at Brantham Leisure Centre was Stow’s biggest away league success since February 2018 and was the perfect response after exiting the Emirates FA Cup three days earlier.

Tom Hitchcock’s 57th-minute penalty settled the preliminary round tie in the BetVictor Isthmian League Premier Division Cheshunt’s favour, denying the Old Gold and Blacks a place in the first qualifying round for the first time since 2001.

Last season Andrews’ men held top spot for four weeks from September 1, before winning just two of their next seven league games, a crucial run which saw them lose ground on eventual champions Histon.

Ahead of a home double-header against Kirkley & Pakefield tomorrow (3pm), followed by Hadleigh United on Tuesday (7.45pm), the Stow boss is keen for everyone to keep their feet on the ground and build on the foundations put down in these early weeks of the season.

“It’s nice to be up there, but it’s still very early in the season,” Andrews said. “Every week we’re going to see teams that we come up against be up for it, and we need to be at it.

“That’s why I was very pleased with Tuesday’s performance at Brantham. Even at 5-0 up, the players are still pushing for more goals and creating opportunities.

“We were very solid and the desire to keep a clean sheet as well, players running back to get in position after a corner. I thought our work rate was very impressive.”