Former Football League goalkeeper Brian Horne seems certain to be given a great reception by Canvey Island fans when he brings the Bowers United side he now manages to Park Lane tonight (Tuesday) for a pre-season friendly (7.30pm).

Horne was a big favourite with Gulls fans during his playing days with the Islanders and is making great strides at Crown Avenue as he prepares for his second season in charge of the Foresters Essex Senior League side.

More than £40,000 has been spent on ground and pitch improvements - including the erection of a new stand at the Pitsea club - and they hope for a good turnout when Nationwide League Division One Millwall, one of the League sides Horne played for in a lengthy full-time career, bring an XI to their ground on Saturday (3pm).

More immediately, Horne is looking forward to getting his troops off to a solid start at Park Lane tonight - but might find that difficult against the FA Umbro Trophy holders, who started in style with a 4-1 home thrashing of highly-rated Dr Martens Premier Division Crawley Town.

Gulls started that affair with the team that began the Trophy final with Forest Green Rovers at Villa Park last May - apart from ever-present goalkeeper Ashley Harrison, who is nursing a leg injury which could keep him out of the start of the Islanders' Ryman League Premier campaign.

He was replaced by trialist goalkeeper Alexis Viazarelis, who played college football in America last season and is expected to get another chance to show his potential tonight.

The Islanders were leading Crawley 2-0 when Canvey rung the changes at half-time, but that certainly didn't help the Sussex side's cause.

For that brought trialist striker Lee Boyland, the ex-West Ham youngster who was with Nationwide Conference Hayes last term, into the fray and, within little more than five minutes, he'd doubled Gulls score.

Apart from manager Horne, the visiting party will include ex-Park Lane favourite Paul Williams, once with Southend United, but injury is likely to sideline another former Gull, Mark Barry, who has signed for Bowers in the summer.

On trial - Alexis Viazarelis is hoping to make his mark in the Canvey goal

Picture: LUAN MARSHALL

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