CLACTON Cricket Club skipper Scott Facey believes his side must gain promotion this season.

The Seasiders are 39 points clear at the top of Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship division four, having won nine of their 11 fixtures.

The most recent of those successes was last weekend’s 77-run victory at Yoxford.

Captain Facey believes promotion is a must this year, following the club’s well-documented decision to drop out of the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League. But he says that despite the pressure, he and his players are relishing the challenge.

“We really need to get promoted this season,” he said.

“We need to start climbing back up the divisions, while at the same time keeping this local side together.

“It’s a season-by-season thing, rather than getting ahead of ourselves, but we definitely want to get back to the highest level possible as quickly as possible."

For the full story, see this week's Gazette.