Sporting Bengal United manager Imrul Gazi is remaining optimistic despite results not going their way and being the only team in the Essex Senior League having to play behind closed doors.

East London Advertiser: Sporting Bengal United in action against Walthamstow (Pic: Tim Edwards)Sporting Bengal United in action against Walthamstow (Pic: Tim Edwards) (Image: Archant)

Bengal play out of Mile End Stadium, which is operated by Tower Hamlets Council but is still shut to the public.

They have had to train anywhere they can while waiting to be allowed access to the Mile End astro-turf pitches near the ground.

“We’re getting there, and I think we’re just two or three players short right now,” Gazi said.

“We started training in Mile End this week. We’ve been travelling all over London just to train for maybe six or seven weeks as Tower Hamlets is a mess right now in terms of the facilities.

“We’re still playing behind closed doors, we’ve got no changing rooms, so it’s difficult not just for us but the opposition as well.

“It’s not great preparation, especially for us being the home team, but it is what it is, and we have to make the best of a bad situation. At least we’re back playing football.”

Bengal face Thurlow Nunn League Division One South side Coggeshall United in the FA Vase on Sunday after a narrow 3-2 defeat to Hadley on Monday.

“It’s a strange day for us to play, but I’m hoping we can put a strong squad out, and give a good account of ourselves and go on to win the game,” added Gazi.

“Player availability is harder with it being a Sunday as some of the players work their shifts around Saturdays playing football.”

On the Hadley defeat, he said: “Really disappointed. As you know, we’ve got a new squad but it’s taking a bit of time to gel and to find the right combination.

“We’re getting there slowly, I think we’re about two or three weeks away from where we need to be, but it was very positive.

“To come off the pitch really disappointed against a very good side that is possibly going for the league title in Hadley shows we’re heading in the right direction.

“We were 2-0 down at one point and the guys put in a real shift.

“The opposition manager also said we were unlucky not to get anything from the game.”