Smith backs his Pitmen to prosper

Hednesford manager Rob Smith believes the club is going places this season after hailing his quality squad ahead of Saturday’s opener with Frickley Athletic at Keys Park, writes Lewis Deakin.

The Evo-Stik NPL Premier Division manager is preparing for his third season in charge bolstered by 12 summer signings and said: "We can do great things. There is more talent in the squad than last year and certainly more of a goal threat."

Frickley Athletic finished fourth bottom last season and Smith knows it won’t be an easy opening day test despite the arrival of new recruits led by Northwich Victoria’s Nathan Woolfe and Michael Lennon from Nantwich.

Under new manager and former Barnsley striker Karl Rose Athletic have tightened up defensively and Smith, whose side have had a mixed preseason with two wins and three draws from eight games, admitted: "Frickley are unbeaten in pre-season so it will be a hard first game."