Wadham Lodge assistant Neil Day has stressed his side must show they are worthy of promotion after being confirmed in the Essex Senior League next season.

A fourth-place finish in the Essex Olympian Football League was enough to see Lodge considered for promotion and their place at a higher level has since been confirmed.

Day said: "Obviously (manager) Tony (Ievoli) and myself would have loved to go up as champions but it wasn’t to be, however, we knew what we had to do at the start of the season so we are there on merit and now have to show we are worthy of our position in the pyramid."

Lodge were beaten 4-1 by Harold Wood Athletic on the final day of the season, missing out on the title. They will now compete with landlords Waltham Forest and newly relegated Redbridge next term.