Ludlow start their new season with a trip to Madeley hoping to continue their impressive record against their Shropshire League Premier Division rivals.

The pair have met twice before on the opening day with Ludlow winning each time.

“It’s always a tough game but we’ve beaten them on the last two occasions,” skipper Will Sparrow said. “I’m just hopeful we can make it three out of three!”

Ludlow finished a respectable fourth last season – one place above Saturday’s opponents – and the captain hopes to improve on that this year.

He added: “Last year was my first as captain and Kevin Boulton’s first as chairman so we had a bit of a blank book. A year on and we know what we need to do to build as the aim has to be to improve year on year.

“We will take six games at a time and see where we stand but having beaten some of the sides at the top of the league last year, we know what this group is capable of.”

Overseas star Matt Kennedy has returned to South Africa but the club are hopeful of bringing in an experienced replacement ahead of Saturday’s opener.