ONE man particularly keen to make a good start for Thurrock tomorrow is Matt Bodkins.

For the Fleet man will be up against one of his previous clubs, Havant and Waterlooville, when his side travel to Hampshire for their Blue Square South league opener.

With ex-Billericay central defender Rob Swaine having just sighed a new two-year contract, Fleet are entitled to feel that they are set for a better campaign than last.

Then they were only saved from relegation by the fact that Team Bath pulled out.

“We’ve had some very good performances in pre-season without winning a game,” said Thurrock’s Tommy South. “But we have come up against some good opposition and taken them to some close results.”

Fleet follow tomorrow’s away game with two home matches —against Welling United on Tuesday and Weston-super-mare tomorrow week.