Lukombo celebrating Billericay Town's 2-1 victory against Dulwich Hamlet (Credit: Nicky Hayes)
18-year-old centre-back Henry Lukombo is ready to fight for his place in the first team as Jody Brown’s side look to get back to winning ways in the National League South.
A 1-0 win over White Ensign in the BBC Essex Senior Cup third round ended Billericay’s Town’s winless run of seven matches, with Lukombo getting a full 90 minutes under his belt.
'It’s good to give the fans the experience of winning football again.... we are out of every single cup, the FA Cup and the FA Vase, so even though this is only the Essex Senior Cup, it would be nice to win a title.'
It has been a season of learning curves for the Hackney born defender who has been juggling between the first team and the under-23s squad through the campaign.
'I was getting in the (first-team) squad here and there but after a while a decision had to be made because you can’t become better sat on the bench.
I went back down to the under-23s to play with them for a while; when I had improved and shown them that I could do it I went back into the first team.'
Read More: Five players Livepoool legend and Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard could bring to Villa Park
A three-minute cameo in Billericay Town’s FA Cup third round qualifying defeat to Havant and Waterlooville had playing time back on track for Lukombo.
The sacking of Kevin Watson soon after that defeat meant that the 'under 23s manager stepped up as interim manager, he put me in the squad and starting line-up against Dulwich Hamlet away and we went on to win our first league match of the season.'
'Come the next game, the new manager (Jody Brown) had taken over. I started against Slough Town, I got taken off at half time because he wanted to change it from a three to a four at the back and I was the least experienced defender starting. I can off and we still went on to win the game.’
A month-long loan move to Isthmian League North Division side Hullbridge Sport FC followed for Lukumbo who openly admits 'I don’t think that loan went very well for me because I didn’t perform, but you always have to look at the positives.
I think the bad moments in football can be some of the most beautiful ones, they highlight your grey areas and show you how to be humble and they show you the reality of what football really is.'
The end of season goal for Lukombo is a straightforward one, 'I want to see myself as a proper first team starting player'. But for now it’s all about working back into that first team squad for the centre-back.
'I don’t want to go into that first team environment yet, I want to clear my mind, I want to be here (with the under-23s), learn and work hard and isolate myself from the first team until I’m ready to go back.'
Comments