HULLBRIDGE Sports manager Mark Bliss has challenged his team to push on and fill the gap left by top-scorer Liam Nash.

The 18-year-old striker joined Billericay Town this week, after netting 12 times in the Essex Senior League so far this term.

Nash netted a hat-trick in his last appearance for Sports and scored on his Billericay bow against Great Wakering Rovers in their 8-2 Robert Dyas League Cup win three days ago.

And Bliss has backed Nash to be a success in the Ryman Premier League, while insisting his strikers were ready to step up to the mark, starting this Saturday against table-topping Haringey Borough.

“Liam leaving is a great loss,” said Bliss, who co-manages the club with Dan Braney. “But saying that, he has a great chance to push on and make a name for himself at a high level.

“There is no denying he has been our main source of goals this season, but we have a close-knit bunch and it won’t affect us. It is unfortunate it has coincided with one of our biggest games of the season but we have to get on with it.

“The saying ‘one door closes, another opens’ springs to mind and we hope someone will step up.”

And Bliss, who has watched his side record seven wins in 10 games to sit second in the table, has backed Kurtis Clarke as one possible man to replace Nash.

“You need a goalscorer at this level,” he said. “There are lots of decent midfielders but scoring goals is invaluable.

“Kurtis has done well for us this season (scoring three goals). He has been out through illness in recent weeks but he should be available on Saturday. He is a natural replacement for Liam and this is a chance for him, or another player, to make the position theirs.”

Sports enjoyed unprecedented success last year, winning the Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy, reaching the Fourth Round of the FA Vase and recording their highest ever points total in the Essex Senior League (53).

And Bliss says the players have been buoyed by the success of last term.

“We had a great season last year and we achieved it with a lot of young players. This year they are a year older and wiser and are using it to push on. We don’t put too much pressure on our boys and that is a factor as to why they are doing so well.”