Many of us enjoy visiting our local non-league club at the weekend and during the week. We finish work, watch the match and head home ready for a new day. But what about the players who have to fit in their work commitments around the football? How do they do it?

The Echo will be speaking to non-league stars from across south Essex this season about how they juggle two of life’s most crucial aspects – work and football.

This week we speak to Concord Rangers striker Steve Cawley, 24, who started in the 1-1 draw against Mansfield Town in the FA Cup on Tuesday.

SATURDAY

My work messes with my body clock at weekends and it doesn't allow me to sleep past 8am. I normally wake up then and will chill out in bed until I’m bored. Then I wake up my fiancée Melissa “accidently” and, because she knows it’s game day, she gets my pre-match breakfast ready for around 10am (she’s a good girl).

This is normally beans and scrambled egg on toast. Today was slightly different as I had to be in at the club for 12.30pm as I was involved in an accident on Wednesday and was having a little trouble with my neck. Luckily Mike, the club physio, managed to get into it and loosen it up.

The game went well and we drew 1-1 with league leaders Boreham Wood and in the end it was them who were holding on at the end, which shows how far we come.

It was great to see Jordan (Chiedozie) back and scoring which is what he does best. After the game we go in the bar, eat our food and then go home at 6pm.

I sometimes go out Saturday nights but tonight all the focus was on Mansfield on Tuesday. I didn’t want to ruin my chances of performing well and letting the team down by having too many beers!

SUNDAY

This is always a relaxing day. We have our usual DVD and Netflix day at home. At about 2pm I normally go out for a light jog to turn my legs over and keep my body ticking over for Tuesday.

MONDAY

I am an Asbestos Surveyor for Aspect Contracts and have been at the company for about a year now.

I am up and out for work at 7am as usual, ready for the two hour traffic-filled drive to Hackney. I am normally given a list of five to eight properties to survey a day and that consists of checking the property hasn’t got any asbestos in it and, if there is, ensure it is removed before any work is done.

I was given eight on Monday, which was a bit boring, but it's my job!

The buzz for Tuesday’s game started to kick in as well. Our little club was playing an established League Two side in the First Round of the FA Cup!

Once I got home the missus cooks me dinner and I wait for the famous text from Danny (Cowley – Concord manager) to “be ready” for the game.

TUESDAY

Tuesday was the big day.

I only had a half day at work and then it was up to Mansfield.

I was looking for an easy half day but, as per usual, that wasn’t to be as I had to travel two-and-a-half hours to Guildford do two surveys then travel back hours to get back for 1.30pm – just in time to get the coach from South Mimms Services. So I had only travelled more than four hours for work before a nice three-hour trip to Mansfield!

On the coach I relaxed next to Mike the physio – I’m his mum’s favourite so I like to wind him up about that!

I like to watch an American sports film when I travel to get the adrenaline going, even though it was already high for this match!

Our chairman Ant Smith booked us in for a pre-match meal at 4pm which was different for us – but I’m not complaining!

We settled in there for around an hour-and-a-half which gave us the chance to relax and get excited for the game and for Danny to have a chat individually to us all.

When we got to the ground we all had a walk across the pitch which was flat!

We got our usual inspirational pre-match team talk from Dan and we were off down the tunnel.

It felt amazing. It’s the biggest crowd I’ve ever played in front of and we were all buzzing.

The game went very well we didn’t look out of place and for their goalkeeper to get man of the match and their crowd to give us a standing ovation says it all!

After the match everyone was buzzing but Danny made it clear that all the focus was to go on Wealdstone on Saturday and that’s what we do.

I must say thank you from everyone – from the fans that travelled and their amazing support until the very end especially to my number one fan my dad Terry, who has never missed a game home or away!

WEDNESDAY

I am still buzzing from last night’s game. I got home at 12.45am and was up for work again and back in the office by 8am.

I had another half day as I went to watch Lee Evans at Wembley. Hopefully we will be coming back here in May for the FA Cup final!