After cup glory in the FA Vase and Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy, the east Londoners want to improve their position in the division
Sporting Bengal United manager Anwar Uddin wants his team to improve their position in the Essex Senior League table after earning more FA Vase success.
The Mile End Stadium outfit romped into the second round of the competition with a 6-2 triumph over Southall after Tunde Adewunmi fired a hat-trick.
Next up for the east Londoners is a home clash with Hullbridge Sports this weekend before they travel to face Burnham Ramblers on Tuesday.
Bengal are currently 12th in the table, but have only lost three of their 12 fixtures this season and Uddin believes they should be higher up the standings.
He said: “We’re looking forward to facing Hullbridge and the league table frustrates me to be honest.
“We have been better than our position shows I think. I feel like we have performed really well in so many matches and not got the points we have always deserved.
“But we do need to remember we are just starting out. I guess you could say we are a little bit ahead of schedule, especially when you consider our success in the Vase.
“The difficult thing now is I am getting managers coming to our games and asking about players. If we can keep our group together we will only get better and better.
“But it is all about the team and not individuals so if we do lose people I have the confidence in others to step up.”
Bengal have struggled with injuries over the past month, but whenever people have been given a chance they have often impressed.
That has delighted Uddin and he was thrilled with their second-half performance against Southall.
Adewunmi put them 1-0 up at the break before the floodgates opened after the interval.
Abdi Mohamed helped himself to a brace, while Yacine Teladjati was also on target in the triumph.
It was Adewunmi who was the hero, taking home the match ball, but the healthy lead Bengal built up before the end allowed Uddin to give some younger members of his squad more game time.
He added: “For 30 minutes of the second half we were sublime.
“When it went to 5-0 I made some changes and brought a few of our kids on to sample the atmosphere and we conceded two goals.
“That really disappointed me because being a defender I wanted a clean sheet. I also was hoping it would end 5-0 to follow up the 4-0 win we had in the previous round.
“But the bigger picture is giving our young players the experience and that is more important than conceding two consolations.”
Uddin gave some inexperienced squad players more game time in the Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy on Tuesday as Bengal beat Southend Manor 4-3 on penalties, after a 3-3 draw.
They will now look to improve their position in the league on Saturday, by earning more home success against Hullbridge.
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