A summer in the gym is helping the striker make his mark

SAINTS striker Inih Effiong believes he is reaping the rewards after a summer of hard work.

The 19-year-old has spent a lot of time during the close season in the gym building his strength up and so far it appears to have paid off with a number of eye-catching displays. The club has been so impressed by his early season form they signed him on a contract earlier in the week.

Effiong opened his account for the season with a clinical finish at Thurrock last Saturday and the former Oaklands College pupil is delighted to have got off the mark early on.

“It was good to get off the mark, I’ve been working hard during pre-season and it was good to be rewarded for that,” Effiong told the Herts Advertiser.

“I had to build myself up a bit and it’s going well so far.

“I’m enjoying it at the moment and I’m taking everything as it comes.”

The striker also praised the work of manager Steve Castle and his assistant Mark Peters in helping him to take his game to the next level.

“Steve’s good, he’s helped me come a long way from my youth,” said Effiong.

“I’ve learnt a lot from Steve and Mark Peters has helped me a lot too. He’s told me what to do and what I need to work on and so far I’ve done alright.

“There’s still some things I need to polish up on but it’ll come.”

Effiong had a year away from Clarence Park last year, spending the season with City’s fierce rivals Boreham Wood, but he wasn’t overly-impressed with how the experience panned out.

He said: “I had a year at Boreham Wood. It was alright, it wasn’t the best but obviously it’s all experience. Sometimes you have to step back a level to come up and I can’t wait to play them.”

Effiong has been substituted in both of City’s opening league fixtures and the striker revealed that it’s a precautionary move to avoid injury.

“It’s a precaution because I have a little cramp troubles from ages ago,” he explained. “That’ll get worked on and hopefully I can get 90 minutes in soon.”