LITTLE Oakley Football Club have been invited to apply for promotion to Step 5.

The Acorns' points per game performance over the last two seasons in Thurlow Nunn League first division south saw them finish in third place, opening the door for them to go up a level to the premier division.

Little Oakley have accepted the invitation to apply and the club have submitted the requested information.

They will then await confirmation up to the next level of the non-league pyramid.

Matt Carmichael's side were eighth in first division south when the 2020-21 campaign was curtailed, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

They had won six of their opening eight matches of the campaign and had the best goal difference in the division, when the season ended prematurely.

The new Thurlow Nunn League season will start on Saturday July 31.

In view of the possibility of Covid-19 disruptions it is planned to front load the season with fixtures, scheduling half of them before November.

The League Cups will not start before January at the earliest.