Football: Almondsbury ready for tough start to Southern League life (From Gazette Series)

Southern League 2010/11 season preview with Almondsbury Town boss Richard Thompson

10:58am Thursday 12th August 2010 in Sport By Rob Iles

ALMONDSBURY TOWN’S players have been told to go out and enjoy themselves in the club’s first ever season in the Southern League.

Newly promoted to Zamaretto Division One West after winning the Hellenic Premier League title last year, the Almonds are still riding on the crest of a wave.

They have boosted their ranks by signing Scott Brice, Joe White, Matt Beadle, Marvin Brown, Ben Willshire and Stewart Nelson over the summer but boss Richard Thompson is not setting his side any targets.

He said: "It will take a while to find our feet, we’re a new side and a young side, so we’ll see how we gel.

"It’s a little unfair to set targets, I just want them to play and enjoy themselves.

"We cannot go and win the league, we know that.

"It’s as tough a start as anyone could ask for and will put the men amongst the boys so it’s probably better to assess about Christmas."

Almondsbury start away to Paulton Rovers on Saturday (3pm), who finished narrowly outside the play-offs last season after an FA Cup run which saw them meet Norwich City.

Thompson said: "Paulton had a good season last year with the FA Cup run and the finances from that should see them through the next few years.

"It put their name on the map and they’re an attractive team to play for and have attracted decent players so going away to them first game is a tough one."

Almondsbury’s first home game at this level is next Wednesday (7.45pm) against title favourites AFC Totton, who only missed out on promotion by one point last season.

Totton won 4-1 at Oaklands Park in an FA Cup clash last year in Thompson’s second game in charge, but he is hoping his side will give them a tougher game this time after overseeing many changes in the playing staff since. He said: "Regardless of what side I had out that day, Totton are a good side and it will take a good side to compete with them.

"Totton are probably favourites for the league so I hope people don’t judge us on that and give us time to find our feet."

Almondsbury will go into the season full of confidence after only one defeat in pre-season - 6-0 to League Two side Aldershot Town.

They drew their last game 3-3 with Zamaretto Premier outfit Chippenham Town.

Joe White, Marcus Mapstone and Dean Griffiths gave Almondsbury a 3-0 lead with 58 minutes gone, before Alan Griffin and Lewis Powell pulled goals back and Nathan Rudge equalised with nine minutes left.

Thompson said: "A couple of individual errors cost us goals but I’m not too despondent, it’s all about this Saturday."

Fixtures for 2010-2011 - August: 14 Paulton Rovers (A);18 AFC Totton (H); 21 North Leigh (H); 30 Yate Town (A).

September: 4 Thatcham Town (H); 14 Bideford (A); 18 Bishops Cleeve (A); 25 Taunton Town (H).

October: 2 Abingdon Utd (A); 5 Stourport Swifts (A); 9 Sholing (H); 20 Mangotsfield Utd (H); 23 Bromsgrove Rovers (A); 30 Andover (H).

November: 6 Gosport Borough (A); 13 Wimborne Town (H); 16 Bridgwater Town (A); 20 Clevedon Town (A); 27 Abingdon Utd (H).

December: 4 Frome Town (A); 8 Hungerford Town (H); 11 AFC Totton (A); 18 Paulton Rovers (H); 27 Cinderford Town (A).

January 2011: 3 Yate Town (H); 8 North Leigh (A); 15 Bideford (H); 22 Taunton Town (A); 29 Bishops Cleeve (H).

February: 12 Clevedon Town (H); 19 Hungerford Town (A); 26 Frome Town (H).

March: 5 Andover (A); 9 Bridgwater Town (H); 12 Gosport Borough (H); 19 Wimborne Town (A); 26 Soling (A).

April: 2 Stourport Swifts (H); 9 Mangotsfield Utd (A); 16 Bromsgrove Rovers (H); 23 Thatcham Town (A); 25 Cinderford Town (H).