RUGBY Town’s competitive season kicks-off this weekend when Valley travel to lower level Wolverhampton Casuals in the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup this weekend.
Valley rounded off their warm-up campaign with two encouraging performances and victories against both Aylestone Park and North Leigh.
Town boss Carl Adams is hopeful of an improvement on the 2023-24 relegation-threatened NPL Midands Division term this time around.
Adams said: “I think we are in a much better position than we were a year ago. We’ve tried to strengthen over the summer and hopefully we go into the new campaign with a much more competitive squad.
“We targeted players with extra pace and power – especially in attack, and I think we’ve achieved that and we’ve looked quite lively up-front in the friendlies.”
Rugby followed up their 4-1 home success over Aylestone with another Butlin Road victory against North Leigh – this time by a 3-1 margin.
Adams’s three new striker signings Hilton Arthur, Tayo Alexander-Tucker and Trey Charles (two) were all on-target against the Leicestershire outfit, with another summer recruit Ethan O’Toole then opening the scoring against North Leigh.
Arthur grabbed yet another pre-season goal before Madundo Semahimbo rounded off Town’s tally, before the Oxfordshire side grabbed a late consolation.
Arthur’s four strikes in six warm-up games has now earnt him a one-year deal with the club, with ex-Loughborough Students player O’Toole joining the large contingent of the squad in penning a contract too.
Midfielder Justin Mensah is another new face to sign league forms, after the 22 year old impressed at the weekend.
Adams added: “We’ve tried to keep a core of players from last season, but we knew we had to bring in some new blood, as we don’t want to go through another season like the last one.
“Ideally we didn’t really want to lose Theo (Rowe) from the line-up we ended with, but unfortunately we just couldn’t agree a deal with him.
“However, with the addition of Trey, Hilton and Tayo plus the retention of Mikey Taylor, Kolo and Madundo, I believe that we have the firepower now to really trouble opposing teams – which will hopefully see us through the tight games in particular.”
Saturday’s cup hosts Casuals are currently members of the Midland Football League Premier Division, and if the tie is all square at ninety minutes, a replay would take place at Butlin Road on Tuesday evening.
Rugby then begin their league campaign at home on August 10 when they face newly-promoted Darlaston.
