Talented young side are flourishing under former Dagenham & Redbridge captain and have another FA Vase clash this weekend

East London Advertiser: Sporting Bengal beat Enfield at Mile End Stadium last night (pic: Sporting Bengal FC)Sporting Bengal beat Enfield at Mile End Stadium last night (pic: Sporting Bengal FC) (Image: Archant)

Sporting Bengal United boss Anwar Uddin insists his young side will have no fear when they entertain Halstead Town in the second qualifying round of the FA Vase tomorrow (Saturday).

The Eastern Counties League First Division outfit make the trip to the Mile End Stadium this weekend for an exciting cup clash with the winners receiving £800.

Bengal enter the fixture at east London in great form after beating Enfield and Basildon United in the Essex Senior League over the past week.

It is those recent displays that have given Uddin plenty of encouragement prior to tomorrow’s cup encounter.

He said: “It will be interesting and it is just fantastic to be involved in these big games.

“It is very disappointing when you get knocked out in the early stages of any cup because they are the fixtures you look forward too because they don’t often come around so it is nice to have a distraction from the league, but it is a tough draw.

“Halstead are a very good side, we have had them watched and they are very good. I believe they play in the level below, but they have had a great start to the season and already beaten teams in our league so they will be a big test.

“But the way things are going we don’t fear anybody to be honest because if we play the way we are capable of and do the things we know we can then we are a match for anyone. I am really confident.”

Even though Bengal scored six goals this week and conceded zero, Uddin admits they are struggling with injuries.

It therefore came as a pleasant surprise to watch his young team beat Basildon 1-0 last weekend thanks to a Terlochan Singh goal before thrashing Enfield 5-0 on Wednesday.

Prince William helped himself to a hat-trick in that fixture with Tunde Adewunmi bagging a brace as well and the Mile End Stadium manager believes his talented players can progress even higher up the non-league chain.

Uddin added: “We are really pleased with the week because although it might not seem like it because of our results, but we are actually carrying a lot of injuries at the moment so key players have been missing.

“What has been really pleasing is that the younger players in the squad who have been and around the place since day one really have got their chance and done really well.

“Prince has done really well, he has come in and is really young and we have quite a few 17-year-olds to 19. They have a lot to learn, but they are really receptive to everything you try and give them.

“They come and their attitude is spot-on and that is the most important thing for us because realistically competing at the top is going to be difficult, but we want to develop players.

“We want people to come to us, improve and then move on and already in the short space of time I have been working with these boys who have never played senior football before, they have developed so much. I wouldn’t be surprised if quite a few of them make the step up in terms of the higher ranks of non-league football over the next few years.”

Although Wednesday’s five-goal triumph was pleasing on the eye, Uddin enjoyed the battling win over Basildon more.

He felt that result was a sign of things to come for his young side, who have enjoyed a strong start to the campaign despite their inexperience.

“I think Saturday’s result was bigger for me because Basildon are on fire, they are a good side and very well organised,” added Uddin.

“They are a very traditional non-league team, they know what they are doing, they are uncompromising and for us, as a young side, they are the systems we struggle with.

“We don’t mind playing against clubs that are quite young like ourselves and try to play football, but playing against those experienced teams that know the league well is really difficult.

“To get a 1-0 win and compete and look mature in our performance, that is really pleasing because those type of displays are a little bit ahead of schedule considering we have got a lot of players that have just been brought together for the first time.”

Bengal will now hope for more joy tomorrow against Halstead and judging by the belief their manager has in them, you wouldn’t bet against it.