Chelmsford City have signed one of the most prolific non-league goal scorers in the South-East -- 31-year-old Steve Portway -- on a one -year contract.

The much travelled striker, who has always been a leading goal scorer at all of his previous clubs, has moved from Fisher Athletic where he netted 28 league goals last season, helping the Docklands side gain promotion to the Dr Martens League Premier Division.

Portway, who has also played for Gloucester City, Billericay Town, Enfield, Romford among others, will form a potentially lethal attacking partnership with Gary Bennett, signed by City towards the end of last season from AFC Sudbury.

City manager, Gary Bellamy, said he was delighted to have captured Portway, adding: "He has a proven goal scoring record at our level and has always been top scorer at every club he has played.

''Last season he was the top scorer in our league and playing alongside Bennett should mean we will have no shortage of goalscoring potential which was one our problems last term.

"On top of that we may have the returning Ian Brown and also Ollie Berquez who we know can score many goals between them," he added.

City look to further strengthen their squad this week with the arrival of full-back Ian Cousins who played for Burnham Ramblers in the Schweppes Essex Senion League last season.

A former Tottenham Hotspur youngster, Brentwood-based Cousins, 20, looks set to replace Shane Wardley who wants to join former City player-coach Chris Tovey, now manager at Cambridge City.

Wardley, who was watched by several Nationwide League clubs last season, turned down the offer of a new City contract and has now said that he wants to follow former City players John Girling and Tesfaye Bramble, who have both moved during the close season to the Milton Road club.

Bellamy said: "We didn't want Shane to move but for some reason he felt he wanted to go and now Cambridge City have approached us for his services.

"But as Shane was on contract with us and is under 24 then under the Bosman ruling we are entitled to a transfer fee. We have now told Cambridge City to come back to us with an offer and we will take it from there."

City will, quite rightly, hold out for a fee which is likely to have to be settled by a tribunal.

Meanwhile City continue to talk to other players with a view to further strengthening the squad which should be strong enough to win promotion next season.

Club chairman, Peter Stroud, said: "Promotion is our sole objective for next season and that is why we are signing the one or two quality, experienced players we know we need to do the job.

''With plans now going in for the new stadium it's imperative that we are up in the premier division by the time we move because the club has to also make progress on the field."

He added: "The two particular significant experienced signings of Freddie Hyatt and Steve Portway show that we mean to do the business this coming season and gain promotion that the club and its supporters deserve."

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