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Benny Read cannot wait to play for points come Saturday after settling well into life at Westleigh Park. 

Read came to Westleigh Park in the summer after joining the Hawks from local side Horndean.

His performances at Five Heads saw him catch the eye of Dos and Bairdy and those performances has transpired to his new club.

Although he felt he had the capability to step up a level, he is pleased to hear the praise which has come from supporters in his short time at the Hawks.

Settling in well, life is good at the moment for the right-back.

He said: “I’ve enjoyed it. I think pre-season’s gone quite well for me personally and for the team and I’m really enjoying it so far.

“It’s very pleasing what I’ve done; I was always confident of making the step up, it is a bit of a jump going into a full time training environment and getting used to the lads but it has for me helped making that jump.”

Going into daytime training is a big jump for a player both physically and mentally. And although beforehand options were weighed up, the addition to daytime training has more benefits for Read than that which he originally outlined.

“I’ve definitely got fitter. I’ve always been quite fit anyway but I feel like I’m as fit as I’ve ever been.

“Playing with the lads all day with much better quality players is seeing me improve a lot all the time.”

As productive a pre-season camp it has been for the Hawks, attentions now turn to Saturday’s National League South opener against Welling United at Westleigh Park, and Read cannot wait to play competitively for the club for the first time.

“I think everyone’s buzzing for Welling on Saturday. You do so much in pre-season but once you get down to it you want to start playing competitive games.”

WATCH OUR INTERVIEW WITH BENNY HERE:

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