Eves targeting promotion

Willenhall boss Mel Eves knows there’s only one way his side can improve on last season - by winning promotion.

The Lockmen suffered the heartbreak of Southern One Midlands play-off final defeat last season as Bromsgrove pipped them to promotion.

Eves has been able to keep most of the side that finished fourth last season at Noose Lane and has moved to replace the quarter that have left - Dean Coleman, Kyle Perry, Sean Platt and Lucan Spittle - with six new faces.

Former Nuneaton keeper Steve Jackson ex-Rushall shot stopper Ryan Price have been recruited to compete for the No.1 jersey, while Ross Brown and Liam Newell will help fill the defensive voids left by the departures of Platt and Spittle.

Eves has also moved to bring in midfielder Steve Palmer on loan from AFC Telford and has also raided Rushall for striker Tyrone Barnett.

The Willenhall boss believes the Lockmen are ahead in their preparations of where they were 12 months ago and is setting his sights high once more.

“We want to improve on what we did last year,” said the former Wolves forward.

“And to do that we have got to win promotion. There is no point going into any season not trying to improve because otherwise you run the risk of going backwards.

“We want to improve both on and off the field and that is what we will be endeavouring to do.

“It is a continual process because at our level you can’t afford to bring in people on contracts so the playing staff is always going to remain fluid.

“We’ve been able to keep hold of most of our players from last season and they will be a year older.

“We’ve got a young squad here and hopefully they will benefit from the experience of being together last season and we can build on that.”

The Lockmen launched their challenge against another of the fancied sides Evesham United at Worcester City’s St George’s Lane ground before welcoming local rivals Stourbridge to Noose Lane on Tuesday.

And Eves is adamant his side could have been given a more straightforward start to the campaign.

“I don’t think we could have had a more difficult opening game,” he said.

“And then we’ve got a home fixture with Stourbridge on Tuesday night which is never easy.

“When they came to our place last season they gave us a really hard game.

“We drew 2-2 and we were perhaps fortunate that we did get a point.

“We have not got an easy start to the season. We played all our pre-season games away from home to teams from the league below so at the moment it’s difficult to tell where we are.

“I know there are still areas we can improve on just from pre-season so we will see what happens.”