LEE Fisher has a long-term vision for success at Stanway Rovers, but he appreciates that this year may be a tough first one at the managerial helm at the Hawthorns.

It has been a testing start for Fisher and his team, who travel to Hoddesdon Town tonight, with the former Braintree Town Reserves boss having to build a team almost from scratch after taking over at Rovers last summer and having to adapt to life in unfamiliar territory after the club's switch into the Essex Senior League this season.

Fisher's new-look side had to wait until last week's 2-1 win against Southend Manor for their first three-point haul of the season, but with that now in the bag, he is looking forward to further progress.

However, he knows they may only be relatively small steps this year as they gain experience in the Essex senior League.

Fisher said: “I’ve said to the club that it’s all about establishing ourselves this year.

“Next year, we believe it’s going into a play-off system at step five and that is the target.

“Next year, play-offs is a must.

“We have a long term vision to build here and that’s set in stone.

“The club knew that it would be a year to establish ourselves because it was an unknown quantity coming into this new league.

“So for us it really is a two-year plan.

“It’s small steps at the moment, especially this year, but we’ve taken a massive step in the right direction in our last game with the win against Southend Manor and long may that continue.

“We are a work in progress.

“This is a group who have only been together a couple of months and people have to realise that, but the nice thing from the club is that they can see what we’re trying to do.

“Of course they want results, but they understand that this year is about us learning the league.

“We all have to learn how the Essex Senior League is run and how teams play because none of us have been involved in it before.

“You can see that it’s different from the Eastern Counties (Thurlow Nunn) League.

“I managed in division one last year, a number of the players were there with me and we faced some premier division teams in that league, but this is completely different.

“We’re getting to know how those new teams play.

“It was a bit of a wake-up call in our first two games as we lost 5-1 and then 5-0 against Takeley and Saffron Walden, who are both experienced sides.

“We are the youngest side by far in this league, but I know our players will hold themselves.

“You could see that against Southend Manor last week.

“They were coming up against six-foot four players and no-one bottled out of a challenge; they were superb.

“I’m not worried about us in this league.

“Things will come with experience."