Borough start with a juicy local derby against the Stags

Borough are back in Midlands Division One after an absence of three years and coach Lee Adamson believes his side will do well at the higher level.

The runaway winners of Midlands Division Two East (South) last season begin the new campaign on Saturday with a juicy local derby at Huntingdon - the match is at Hinchingbrooke School (3pm) and not the Racecourse - and Adamson believes it will provide a good guage.

He said: “Huntingdon are always a top-half team and they will be a good test for us. It will give me some idea as to how well we’ll do this season.

“I’d like to think we’ll be competitive at this level and my aim is a top-four finish.

“If we’re in the top four at Christmas, we’ll push on and go for it.”

Adamson has been encouraged by the turnout for training during the summer and there have been many new arrivals.

“Attendance at training has been brilliant and we’ve all been working hard,” he added.

“There has been an influx of new players and four or five of them are potential first team players.

“No superstars have joined us but the influx of people like what we do and how we do it.

“There’s also been a big influx of female players on the back of the World Cup so this season we’ll be fielding four senior sides on a Saturday, an Academy side and a women’s team on a Sunday.”

The new arrivals include former first team star Reggie Reid, who has rejoined the Fengate fold as a player/coach after spells at Peterborough Lions and Huntingdon.

Prop Luke Murphy is also back at the club after time away with Huntingdon and the Lions while Sam Powell, another prop, has joined from Spalding and hooker Phil Sandling from St Neots.

On the debit side, the club have lost Harry Winch, who has gone back to the Lions, and Paulius Strigunas, Domantus Tautkas and Dainius Tomoliunas, who have all returned to Lithuania.

Last weekend Borough had their one and only pre-season friendly - away at National League side Southend.

“We lost 30-7 but we did very well considering the strength of the opposition,” said Adamson.

“Southend will be pushing for promotion this season and they had several big Argentinian professional players in their side.”

Reggie Reid, pictured here playing for the Lions, is back at Borough.