DORKING Wanderers boss Marc White is hoping that experience will be key as his side look to push on in their second season in the Sussex County League Division One.
Wanderers finished in the bottom three last season, but were reprieved from relegation owing to other Step Five clubs failing ground grading and the reduction in the number of teams in the league.
But the Wanderers manager is determined to see his side avoid any worries over relegation this time around.
With improvements on and off the pitch and the addition of several new players, including former Leatherhead defender Chris Boulter, who signed this week, Wanderers want a top-half finish.
"We are looking forward to the season and getting going again," he said.
"The ground has been improved and we have added some experience to the squad that I feel we were perhaps missing last year.
"We have some healthy competition for places this season and I think we are looking quite strong on paper."
One drawback for the Wanderers boss is the number of players unavailable for the early part of the season due to holidays and other commitments, but he said he believes the squad is now strong enough to cope with that.
"It is a bit frustrating," he said. "But we have got players to come and step in and, with the squad we have now got, I think we should be aiming for the top half, if not the top six, which I think is achievable.
"There are so many different factors that can come into play, but regardless of that we should definitely be aiming for the top half."
White's men start the season away from home against Chichester City, before welcoming Hailsham Town to Westhumble Playing Fields for their first home match on Tuesday night.
That is followed by the club's first ever FA Cup tie against Canterbury City on Sunday, August 18, before two more home league matches before the end of August.
And while White is pleased to have some "winnable games" in the first month, he is somewhat aggrieved to have six home league matches scheduled before the end of September.
"We asked the league for a mixture of home and away matches," he said.
"It is disappointing but because there are teams that have restrictions due to sharing with cricket, it means we have got the additional cost of having to host matches in August and September.
"I am not particularly happy about it as we did ask the league beforehand, but there is not much we can do about it now."
