Three local Ridgeons League teams begin this campaign, which starts tomorrow, with a different manager to whom they finished last season.
Premier Division
Lynn Reserves host Stanway Rovers. New Reserves manager Steve Lilley is missing centre-back James Spittlehouse.
Lilley said: “James will be out with a broken finger for a couple of weeks.
“We’re well prepared. We’ve had a g
ood six-week pre-season, and we’ve not picked up any more injuries. The players are fit and ready.”
Ben Griffin will be in goal, while Dom Dwyer boosts the squad after moving back to the area from Staines.
Lilley said: “Dom has been training down in London, and is like a new signing for us.”
Division One
Swaffham Town entertain Hadleigh, with Steve Spendelow, Steve Parkes and Andrew Chatters on holiday.
Pedlars manager Mick Simmons, newly-installed in another spell at the club with Lester Kent, said: “The results don’t matter as much, but we’ve picked up a bit of confidence in our friendlies.
“It’s been a difficult, and we’re a couple of weeks behind, but we’ve caught up reasonably quickly.
“We’ll be going for a win, you can’t play for a draw at this level.”
Downham Town travel to Halstead.
Downham boss Wayne Anderson will name himself in the side for his first ever Ridgeons game in charge, but misses Ashley Smith, who is away in London.
Anderson said: “I’ve got a good, strong squad, 14 of whom are all winners.
“They were kicking themselves when we went 2-1 down on Tuesday.”
Ghosts joint managers Stuart Woodhouse and Mark King take their Fakenham Town side to Long Melford.
Friendly
Watton 2 Downham 1
Danny Foulsham netted for Downham, who also hit the post.
Reserve left-back Kyle Williamson (16) made his senior debut.
Downham boss Wayne Anderson said: “We should have been four or five up at half-time, it wasn’t our day.”
The full article contains 335 words and appears in Lynn News Friday newspaper.
