EAST Thurrock United's rearranged derby with Billericay on Saturday gives co-manager Lee Patterson the ideal chance to assess how far his team has come.

After winning promotion from the Southern League Division one last term, expectations varied about their performance in the Ryman Premier but so far they have confounded the critics and are in the top half of the table.

They go into Saturday's derby on the back of wins at Wealdstone and Tuesday's hard -fought victory against Slough.

Looking forward, Patterson said: "The league is very strong and everyone has been beaten now after Hampton lost at Fisher on Monday night. There are probably around 20 sides that on their day are capable of beating any other side in the division.

"At East Thurrock, we need to work harder than our opponents, try to avoid individual mistakes and take our chances when they come along. Easy to say, hard to do all three every week.

"Billericay finished runners-up last season and I watched them in the Play-off semi-final last season against Leyton. I felt for Justin as, after a season where the table doesn't lie, all their hard work finishing 2nd was undone by a side that got into the play-off on the last day of the season on goal difference.

"This season Billericay have started among the favourites and I am sure will go close this campaign. They also have full time players who will be fitter and the fact you can work on things on a daily basis must be a great advantage.

"For us to get a result on Saturday we will have to have the above ingredients of work rate, no mistakes and take our chances when they come along."

East Thurrock are likely to be unchanged for the second consecutive game though it will be Steve West's last start for three games.

He has been given a three match ban for his sending off at Wealdstone on Saturday, starting against Chelmsford in a week's time.