BILLY Crook says Braintree Town should not be starstruck by the Vanarama National League’s big-hitters this season.

The 27-year-old Iron midfielder has now finished a five-match suspension that he started the campaign with and will be available for their Bank Holiday weekend double-header when they travel first to Barrow on Saturday and then host Maidenhead United at Cressing Road on Monday (kick-off 3pm).

The game against Maidenhead will mark the first time back at Cressing Road for Alan Devonshire since he left as Braintree boss in 2015, but the Iron will be hoping that it isn’t a happy return as they need the points after a testing start to life back in the top flight.

They looked to be on target for a first three-point haul against Havant and Waterlooville last weekend but two goals in stoppage time at the end of the game saw a 3-2 lead turn into a 4-3 deficit that left boss Brad Quinton fuming.

Crook’s return to contention for a place in the side will be a boost for the Iron boss, but the combative midfield, who played a key role in their promotion success last year, knows it will be tough this year.

Braintree’s resources are meagre compared to some of the clubs they are coming up against this year, but the club faced the same situation when they spent six seasons in the National League in their previous time at the top level and finished in the top three in 2016.

So Crook, who has had experience of playing at National League level before, feels they shouldn’t put themselves on the back foot and insists that it should be other sides in the division who won’t fancy facing them rather than the other way round.

“It’s all new for most of us so it’s tough to set targets for the season,” said Crook.

“I played in the National League when I was at Peterborough and went out on loan to Histon so I know a bit about the level, but it’s pretty much new for most of us.

“It was good experience for me back then but I think the level has improved since then looking at the sides in it.

“We can’t be starstruck by the teams we are going to play but we have to use the fact that most sides won’t fancy playing us.

“They may think they can stroll through games against us and we have to use the strengths that we have.

“We all know where we’ve come from and we’ve grown together with (manager) Brad (Quinton).

“This is going to be our toughest test because we’re going up against full-time teams, but we all believe in our abilities and if we can match them as best as we can for fitness then our ability will surprise a few teams.”