HALESOWEN Town assistant manager Matt Clarke says everyone at the club is excited to finally get the season under way.

The Yeltz kick-off the campaign with a trip to Buxton on Saturday before Corby Town visit next Tuesday (7.45pm kick-off).

Clarke has backed the players to put a drab pre-season out of their minds when they begin competitive action.

Town lost their final friendly game 4-2 against visitors Gresley last Saturday — a third successive friendly defeat at the Grove.

But Clarke says he isn’t reading anything into the poor results over the summer.

He said: “Results have been disappointing over pre-season and of course we would have liked that side of things to go better, but there is no need to panic.

“We won’t be getting carried away just the same as if we’d have won them all.

“The good thing about the Gresley game is that we got to try out two different systems and give the players another workout.

“The reaction we got after going a goal behind also pleased us.”

“We have experienced, proven players at this level and I’d back them to turn up when the real thing gets under way.

“Everyone is excited to get going now. Pre-season is long these days and it gets to the point when you just want to start playing competitively again.”

Clarke confirmed that the team’s first target is to improve on last season’s 13th-placed finish.

“A top-10 finish will be the obvious aim first of all but we will have a look again over Christmas and see how we have done,” he added.

“Myself and (manager) John Hill are very ambitious and we will always keep asking more of the players and seeing if they can improve.”

Meanwhile, a move for Bromsgrove Sporting midfielder Nathan Walker fell through after the player decided to stay at the Victoria Ground.

It means the Yeltz are still on the look out for new additions if the right deals can be done.

Clarke added: “We could yet bring in a couple more to the squad but we are in now rush.

“We are happy with the players we have but are always open to getting others in if it will improve us.”

l Halesowen have been handed a tie against neighbours Rushall Olympic in the Integro Doodson League Cup second-round draw.

The clash at the Grove is set to be played on Tuesday, November 15, (7.45pm kick-off).