Cornard United full of confidence ahead of long-awaited Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division reunion as Louie Arnold returns from Bury Town

Cornard United boss Gary Monti has revealed that his side ‘can’t see themselves getting beat’ as they prepare for their first Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division campaign in 28 years.

Monti was appointed as Ards manager in November and transformed their First Division North fortunes around in sensational fashion – embarking on a 12-game unbeaten run that saw them clinch the final play-off place before defeating Framlingham Town and then Holland FC on their way to promotion.

The last time Cornard lost a match was back in February, which includes their string of pre-season fixtures ahead of the upcoming campaign, and Monti’s side are hoping to carry the hurricane of momentum they built last term with them to take the Premier Division by storm.

“The players think they’re going to win the league to be honest. They can’t see themselves getting beat because they’ve just got that attitude. They’re fighters, they don’t want to lose,” he said.

“We feel as though we’ve got a strong enough squad to go up and compete at the next level, maybe surprise a few people, but we had some really good momentum at the end of last season.

“It’s good having this momentum, but you never know what that first defeat is going to do to the lads.

“The lads that we’ve got can play up a level and that’s one of the hurdles you have to overcome. They’ve got to get it in their minds now that they’re Step 5 players and not Step 6.

“They’ve got to go into games not feeling intimidated and thinking that they’re playing a higher team, because they’re not.

“In the lads’ minds, they can beat anyone.”

It comes as no surprise, courtesy of their fantastic 2023/24 campaign, that Monti has been able to keep hold of the majority of his squad. The only departures come in the forms of Harry Miller, who was granted permission to join Wivenhoe Town, and Ollie Simms who has joined Ipswich Wanderers.

And while Monti was grateful that he did not have to endure the stresses of trying to sign players, he has been able to bring back striker Louie Arnold from Bury Town, who made just one appearance under the Ards boss before departing to Cole Skuse’s side in November.

Meanwhile, Adam Joyce, who was with the club’s Under-18s side, has been promoted to the first-team squad and has impressed Monti during pre-season.

“He just wants to play regularly. He’s got a really good future, it’s a name to watch, I think, personally, having watched him play,” said Monti.

“I was a bit hesitant to put him straight into the team because of the size and his age, but when I did, he just surprised me with how good and confident he was for a young lad.”

Cornard make their long-awaited Premier Division return on Tuesday when they host Liam Scopes’ new-look Hadleigh United side (7.45pm), and they undoubtedly head into their curtain-raiser buoyed following another impressive pre-season outing – a 3-0 win at Tiptree Heath on Tuesday.

“We’ve got a very big, physical team and I think that helps a lot, especially in the next league up where it’s going to be more a lot more ball into the box,” said Monti.

“I think we’ll do alright, I’ll be quite happy if we just stay up, to be honest with you. That’s what the club are saying: ‘just get yourself established in the next league’.

“Momentum is a big part of football, confidence and everything, and the boys still don’t want to lose so it makes my job easy.

“There were a lot of rumours going round last year, I still hear them now, that there was a lot of money last season. We didn’t have any money, for the record.

“What we did and what we achieved was fantastic, really.”