Town are prepared for Dronfield test

The Lilywhites will kick off their season on Saturday as Dronfield arrive at the Vertigo Stadium (KO 3pm).

“We’d definitely like to win promotion,” said Collins, whose side looked set to do just that last season before the COVID-19 pandemic struck and forced the campaign to be declared null and void.

“Last year was the strongest I’ve known this league.

“But this year a couple of teams have had money men come in and they’re signing a lot of (Nothern Premier League) players.

“This league is going to be extremely hard.

“It’s going to be tough but our aim still has to be promotion.”

Collins expects Dronfield to pose a real threat to his side this weekend, remembering some tough battles against the side over the years.

He added: “It’s always nice to be at home.

“Dronfield will be a tough game, but you can’t ask for more than a home game for the first game of the season.

“Dronfied are a tough side and they always seem to do well against the better sides in this league.

“Even when I was at Grimsby Borough we had some real tough games.

“There aren’t really any easy games but Dronfield will give us a poper test.”

Town have kept the majority of last season’s squad together, with a few additions including strikers Danny Durkin and Leon Mettam, the latter who will also work on the coaching staff this campaign.

“We wanted to give the lads another chance to go at it,” Collins continued.

“We kept the squad together and brought in a couple of players to the group who have fitted in well - just maybe what I thought we were missing a little bit - just to freshen things up.

“Normally pre-season you see a lot of new players.

“We’ve been quite settled and it’s a good group.

“The new lads have done really well.”

The Boston Saturday League will kick off this weekend.

The league was brought to a halt in March last season and later declared null and void due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, it will return at the weekend with league and cup action for our local teams.

In round one of the Sharman Burgess Sports Cup Skegness Town Reserves head to Benington and Spilsby Town travel to Park United.

Both matches will kick off at 2pm.

In the Workforce Unlimited Division Two Coningsby Reserves host Spilsby Town Reserves (KO 2.30pm).