New leader aids promotion push

Heybridge Swifts manager Mark Hawkes has signed his second player of the summer from Ryman North rivals Brentwood Town.

Right-back Ryan Doyle has followed striker Neil Cousins to the Scarley Road Stadium as Hawkes continues building a squad capable of ending the Essex outfit's five year wait for a return to the Ryman Premier.

Doyle, 27, skippered Brentwood for the last two campaigns and previously had a three-year spell with Aveley in the Ryman Premier. He also captained the Millers before a spending a short spell at Braintree Town in Conference South.

Hawkes' hopes for his squad, which returns to pre-season training in early July, received a huge last week when hot-shot Luke Callander resigned. The 27-year-old former Ipswich Town schoolboy was the Ryman League's Golden Boot last season with 33 goals to his name.