Promotion for Tiptree United

12:38pm Tuesday 1st April 2008

TIPTREE United boss Colin Wallington is not taking his foot off the pedal after he watched his side secure promotion to the Ridgeons League premier division with a 2-0 win over Great Yarmouth Town at Chapel Road.

Second-half goals from Jamie Arlick and Tom English secured the win as the side extended their lead at the top over Ely by 12 points and launched them into the league's top flight since they were relegated in 2004.

But that is not enough for Wallington.

The Jam-makers supremo is now challenging his players to show the ambition to take the title and go even further beyond that.

"This is a club with ambition," declared Wallington, who arrived at Tiptree in the summer of 2007 from Maldon Town.

"The chairman has made it clear that he wants to see the side go on and achieve more than just promotion.

"I promised in my interview here in the summer I would give him promotion and I never break a promise.

"It's job done for the first part - now the lads need to go for the title. I don't see why they can't take it and it would cap off a tremendous season."

Tiptree looked steady, if unimpressive on Saturday against Great Yarmouth.

The hosts caused a couple of stirs in the first half with Luke Callender firing over, but it wasn't until the second half that they really came together. It was Callender who caused problems in the 51st minute to give Tiptree the lead. He raced down the right and crossed in a ball which was met by the flying Arlick with a superb diving header that the Yarmouth keeper could do little about.

Yarmouth tried to respond, and were almost level after slack defending had allowed them through, but Jam-makers goalkeeper Aaron Benstead made a great save in a one-on-one situation.

Tiptree got themselves back in control and on 87 minutes wrapped up the win when Arlick's cross from the right was met by English, who had to simply poke the ball in the net from the smallest of distances.

"I admit it wasn't a great performance," said Wallington. "The lads were a bit sloppy in the midfield in the first half and we changed the formation round in the second half to sort that out.

"However, it was a result we've grinded out, and that's not the first one we've done this season.

"Benstead in goal and the two centre-backs of Neil Shade and Liam White have kept several clean sheets for us and that's been the foundation of our success.

"We had a couple of scary moments, but each time they've coped with them.

"It's been a great achievement to seal promotion, but there are four games still to go and we've got to go our there hungry to win the title."