Looking for home comforts! Horncastle Town will kick off season with SIX games at The Wong

Managers Mickey Stones and Andrew Shinn, with assistant Steve Lovett, are looking for a winning start to the season.

The Wongers will play their opening six contests of the season on familiar turf, beginning with Saturday’s arrival of Heckington United.

This will be followed by a contest against AFC Boston the following weekend, and then a third consecutive contest at The Wong against Sleaford Sports Amateurs.

Their next league match will also be at home to Grimsby Borough Academy on September 16, followed by the arrival of Ruston Sports on September 30.

Town have also been drawn at home to Heckington on September 9 in the LincsJunior Cup, making it a straight six.

September 23 has been reserved for the FA Inter League Cup competition.

After ending last season by beating Brigg Town Reserves on penalties to lift the Challenge Cup, Stones and joint-boss Andrew Shinn are eager to challenge for more silverware this term, including the league title.

“Hopefully we can get off to a good start,” Stones said.

“You have to start well in the Lincs League. It’s a competitive league where it’s important to pick up points wherever you can.

“We lost our first two games last season and it felt like some of the lads had already written off winning the league.

“We know that’s not the case, but we want to get as many points as we can, especially as we start at home.”

The Town management have greeted the home games as a mixed blessing.

The Wongers pride themselves on a good playing surface which remains sturdy in the toughest winter months.

So while the club may have something of an early advantage, they fear running the risk of being overburdened with matches later on in the campaign if away contests fall foul of the elements.

But looking to the immediate future, Stones says he is focused on early success, even if the club are going into the great unknown.

“Heckington have just come back to the league and Boston are a new team, so we don’t know anything about them,” he said.

“We don’t know how strong they will be.

“All we can do is put out a side we think is good enough to win a football match.”

Kick off will be at 3pm.

Ben Fidling, Steve Brown and Max Gowshall were on target as Horncastle left Doncaster Deaf Trust with a 3-0 friendly win on Saturday.