BRACKNELL Town kick off their Isthmian League season this coming Saturday in a stronger position than the club have probably ever been in their entire history, writes Dave Wright.

In terms of manager, assistants, coaches and analysts, their off-field staff is unprecedented – there is absolutely no question about that. The dug-out on match days is going to be overflowing.

As far as numbers and experience are concerned, they must be on level terms with many of the country's top non-league clubs.

Player wise, they have assembled a very healthy squad of 22, many of whom have been brought in by new manager Sam Lock.

Of last season's regular starters, only goalkeeper Mark Scott, who is expected to be made team captain, defenders Joe Gater and Dave Hancock, plus midfielders Seb Bowerman and Harrison Bayley remain at Larges Lane.

It looks an exciting new squad and Lock accepts they will need time to blend together.

"When you have a brand new set of players, it takes time to get to know each other and gel," he said.

"But over the last seven weeks they have all been working hard and they are learning all the time as to how we want them to play.

"What I will say is, that as the season develops we will get stronger and stronger."

The team also possesses a willingness to fight, as they showed against Didcot Town in their final pre-season game at Larges Lane last Saturday.

They found themselves two goals down inside the opening eight minutes, but fought back to defeat their Southern League Division One Central opponents 4-2.

"It was a poor start from us," admitted Lock. "We didn't implement what we have been working on in training. We showed them far too much respect in terms of letting them play.

"In the first 15 minutes, we kind of made them look a bit like Barcelona at times; we sat off them and allowed them to do what they wanted.

"But when we changed our shape and got in their faces, we caused them all sorts of problems.

"As a defensive shape in the second half, we gave them nothing. We were physical, combative, our shape was fantastic, we saw the game out well.

"To go two goals behind and come back to win as we did showed great character."

Two goals from Dan Carr in as many minutes midway through the half got Bracknell on level terms before Nicholas Bignall put them ahead on 64 minutes with Shane Cooper-Clark adding the fourth on 70 minutes.

"Young Carr on the right-hand side, scored two good goals, he looks very promising," said Lock.

He will be expecting his side to continue where they left off against Didcot when they travel to Chipstead for their opening South Central Division game this Saturday.

"We will train hard this week and will go there in a confident mood, but we are expecting Chipstead to be a decent outfit."

Bracknell's first home league game is against Uxbridge next Tuesday (7.45pm), but will shortly be switching their home midweek fixtures to a Wednesday.

The following Saturday, August 24 they will be away to Wessex League Premier Division side Bournemouth in the preliminary round of the FA Cup, the Poppies having beaten Frimley Green 2-1 in the extra preliminary round last weekend.

Bracknell's Isthmian League squad.

Goalkeepers: Mark Scott, Sonny Wheeler.

Defenders: Dan Bayliss, Dan Carr, Justin Clayton, Joe Gater, Caden Genovesi, Dave Hancock, Geoff Kibaki, Robb Sheridan.

Midfielders: Harrison Bayley, Seb Bowerman, Dan Brown, Ousman Darboe, Max Herbert, James Mulley, Dan Price, Kai Walters.

Forwards: Lee Barney, Nicholas Bignall, Nathan Minhas, Shane Cooper-Clark.