BINFIELD have completed the signing of defender Mark O’Connell from Wokingham and Emmbrook and the defender is set to go straight into Roger Herridge’s squad to face Lydney Town this weekend.
O’Connell, who initially came through Sumas’ youth system, has been a key figure for the club for a number of years including featuring 31 times during their title-winning campaign last season, and was in Dan Bateman and Matt Eggleston’s side which won 5-0 against Abingdon United last weekend.
But the right-back is now set to leave the Hellenic Premier Division’s bottom placed side to link up again with Herridge, who left as boss of the Sumas first team in 2013.
“We’re looking to get Mark into the squad for Saturday,” said Herridge.
“Mark is one of the boys who played for me at Wokingham from seven years of age and went all the way through and played in a successful Allied Counties side that I had for a couple of seasons.
“He went off to university, came back and he’s found his feet in men’s football and he’s done really, really well.
“He fits the bill in terms of what we’re looking for at Binfield.
“He’s versatile. In the modern day I suppose you want your full-backs to get up and down the pitch and be an attacking threat as well so I know he can do that and I know when he gets into good areas he can put good quality in the box as well.
“It’s more than likely he will be in the squad for the weekend if we can get all the paperwork sorted out in time.”
O’Connell has an in-form side to try and force his way into after Binfield sealed their third successive win by beating Hellenic Division 2 West side Moreton Rangers 3-0 in the Bluefin Sports Challenge Cup.
Brad Brown broke the deadlock in the first half and added two more after the break to mark his return to the side with a hat-trick.
And Herridge admits the result never looked in doubt.
“With all due respect to them, I think there was obviously a gulf in class between the two sides,” he said.
“They were honest and in the first half had the conditions in their favour and they might’ve given us the odd anxious moment but rarely troubled us.
“I don’t want to be disrespectful to them but it was a bit like a training game.
“It was probably a case of not whether we score but how many we score.”
Binfield return to league action tomorrow (3pm) with a trip to mid-table Lydney Town, knowing victory will ensure the Moles reach the halfway mark in sixth position.
And Herridge is expecting a tough battle in Gloucestershire.
“I think it’s about a 240 mile round trip so the journey itself will probably be a test for us,” joked the boss.
“We know that they’re certainly a capable team. From what I’ve been told they’re a big team and a physical side so that’s something we’ll have to contend with and deal with but we’ll go down there in good form.”
Carl Withers (groin) is set to return but Danny Horscroft is still two weeks away from fitness after feeling some discomfort following his 30 minute cameo for the reserves.
