DARREN BYFIELD can look forward to a home start to his competitive reign as Stratford Town manager after the new season’s fixtures were released yesterday (Thursday).
Town will begin the new-look Evo-Stik South Premier Central Division against St Neots Town on Saturday, August 11.
Stratford drew home and away with their opponents last season, 1-1 at Knights Lane last August and 2-2 in Cambridgeshire.
Byfield, who took over as boss from Carl Adams in the summer, will then take his team to Stourbridge on Monday, August 13 before visting Royston Town the following Saturday.
The August Bank Holiday game on August 27 will be a trip to Banbury United.The sides meet again on Boxing Day at Knights Lane.
Town continued their preparations for the new campaign with two friendly wins in three days.
Having beaten hosts Coleshill Town 2-1 on Monday, Byfield’s new-look side swept aside a young Walsall outfit 3-0 in his first home match in charge on Wednesday.
There is now a ten-day break before Stratford visit Worcester City, who ground-share at Bromsgrove Sporting, on Saturday, July 28.
Against Walsall’s academy side, the first half had been goalless but new recruit Nabil Shariff continued his goalscoring start to his Town career with a header to open the scoring. Eli Bako slotted home a penalty for the second before newcomer Boaichi netted a third.
On Monday, fellow new recruit Claudio Dias smashed home a 25-yarder to give Stratford the lead against Coleshill. Although Reece Leek equalised, a Jimmy Fry pass set up the winner for a triallist.
The two wins followed a 2-2 draw at Walsall Wood on Saturday. Town twice led, with Shariff on target both times, but Paul Sullivan struck twice for the hosts.
Meanwhile, Stratford are expected to announce a new ground sponsor in the next week.
The 12-month deal with Stratford social media dating business MoodChimp came to an end after the Walsall match.
A new sponsor is set to be in place before Stratford host Premier League side Leicester City on Thursday, August 2.
