Bridge gear up for new season's challenges (From Gazette Series)

Bridge gear up for new season's challenges

WITH new faces complementing a hard core of last seasons' squad, Slimbridge face a challenging-looking pre-season friendly against Midland Alliance side Stourbridge tomorrow at Wisloe Road (ko 3pm).

Stourbridge were a Southern League club of 29 years standing before being relegated at the end of the 1999/2000 season.

Since then they have always figured high in the Midland Alliance table and last season they achieved a remarkable FA Vase run, battling through six rounds before losing in the Quarter Finals at eventual losing finalist AFC Sudbury in extra time.

A stiff early test then for new Slimbridge manager Doug Foxwell's new embryonic side, likely to feature some old stalwarts and exciting new signings.

Holiday commitments will probably prevent Foxwell from playing a total first choice side until well into the pre-season programme, but amongst those likely to feature against Stourbridge are goalkeeper Ryan Chandler and skipper Andy Pritchett, present joint appearance leaders with 146 competitive games apiece since Slimbridge joined the Hellenic League in the summer of 2002.

Defender Jamie Inch and midfielder Tom Radcliffe may also play, having overcome injury problems that blighted them for long periods last season.

Of the new players on show, Robbie Colwell, the high-scoring striker in recent years for Ledbury Town, will most likely make his debut, along with a number of players that have followed Foxwell from Tuffley Rovers, including left back Lee Burby, midfielder David Gibbs and another striker who knows where the net is, Carl Cresswell.

With Foxwell still contemplating the final pieces to his squad, there will no doubt be opportunities for a number of other players on show to put down a marker for a regular Slimbridge shirt.

After the Stourbridge game, Slimbridge have a further six pre-season friendlies to negotiate: Tuesday, Caldicot Town (away, ko 7.30pm); Saturday, July 30, Clevedon United (home, ko 3pm); Tuesday, August 2, Malvern Town (home, ko 7.30pm); Saturday, August 6, Neath Athletic (home, ko 3pm); Tuesday, August 9, Cheltenham Saracens (away, ko 7.30pm); Saturday, August 13, Wootton Bassett Town (away, ko 3pm).

The first day of the Hellenic League season is scheduled for Saturday, August 20, but Slimbridge will be otherwise engaged.

After being accepted into the FA Cup competition for the first time, the draw has been kind to them.

They will entertain Wessex League side Wimborne Town at Wisloe Road (ko 3pm) in an extra preliminary round tie, in the biggest match yet of their history, a tremendous opportunity on the first day of the season proper.

That said, there is the important task of a pre-season programme to complete where results are perhaps not the most important thing, but getting a settled side is.