Hawks assistant manager Ian Baird is pleased with the progress that the side are making ahead of Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Sutton United. 

Baird, who spent the past five seasons at Gander Green Lane, is looking forward to the test that Matt Gray’s side will provide and looks forward to pitting his wits against a man he knows well.

The Hawks have won two of their first three pre-season fixtures and ran Portsmouth very close to a draw last weekend.

It’s that sort of progress which he wants to see from his side ahead of the visit of the U’s this weekend in a friendly with an added bit of spice to it.

He said: “Everyone’s aware that me and Dos were there for a long time and most people are still at Sutton so I’m looking forward to it and looking forward to seeing them.

“We did well against Portsmouth but Sutton have done very well in pre-season. They’ve played three, won two, lost one but the two they won they did very well against Slough and Tonbridge Angels.

“I’m pretty sure that Matt and that will do a very good job and be competitive in The National League and we have to take out what we got against Portsmouth on Saturday which was a very organised, disciplined performance.”

Baird is expecting a tough test against Sutton on Saturday and expects the U’s to be similar to the Hawks by way of being organised, disciplined and hard to break down.

“Matt Gray will have a very organised, disciplined side that will work hard, they’ll all know what they’re doing and what’s expected of them.

“I see he’s bought in two or three players, two very good players, but knowing Matt putting all these ingredients will make it a good season for them but it’s not about them it’s about us and what we can get out the game.

“As long as we get the same endeavour, the same desire we had on Saturday than I’ll be more than happy.”

With the new season kicking off in just a couple of weeks, Baird is pleased at the way the squad has shaped up.

“It’s been so far, so good.” He said. “They’ve done everything we’ve asked them to do.

“We don’t make it complicated, we make sure our sides are disciplined and organised and has a structure to it and that’s what we’re trying to do.

“We are into the third week of Pre-Season and it’s getting close now.”