FLACKWELL Heath start the new season at home to Witham minus last season's lethal strike force.

Former Blackburn, West Brom and Wycombe striker Simon Garner has finally hung up his goalden boots, while Lee Watson, who cracked in 28 goals last year, has been lured to third division rivals Croydon Athletic who are believed to be paying him three times the amount he was on at Wilks Park.

Gary Wiltshire, a summer signing from Marlow, and Jamie Charles will take over the striking duties.

Boss Laurie Craker said: 'I could say your normal start of season stuff that everyone says but I'm being realistic. I think promotion could be beyond us. There are clubs chucking big money at it.'

He suffered another setback this week when ex-Marlow man Gary Blake accepted a late offer to join Wokingham instead. Heath will be without Kevin Stone and Chris Ayres who are both at weddings tomorrow but are hoping to rush through the signing of Marlow defender Matthew Wojtowicz.