NEWLY promoted Salisbury FC will open their campaign back in the Southern League Premier South with an away trip to Beaconsfield.

Then on Tuesday night, the Whites are at home when relegated Poole Town are the visitors to the Ray Mac Stadium.

On paper both look tough games as Beaconsfield were Southern League Division One East champions last season, while Poole will be looking to bounce straight back to the National League South.

They have got that much tougher as manager Steve Claridge is already suffering an injury crisis and has been unable to play the team he wanted in any of his pre-season games.

Claridge said: "We have played most of pre-season with either seven, eight or nine players missing. I just don't know what I have done to deserve this.

"At the moment I don't know what my team is going to be for the opening game. I will have to wait until after training on Wednesday."

He is currently looking for a goalkeeper to play the first month of the campaign as last season's number one Charlie Searle and summer signing Marcus Beauchamp are both injured.

The Whites pre-season ended last Friday with a narrow 1-0 defeat to a visiting Bristol Rovers Development Squad having started with a 6-0 success over Lymington.

This was followed-up with a 1-1 draw with Winchester City and then two home wins 3-0 over Thatcham and 1-0 against a Bournemouth XI.

As injuries took their toll they suffered a 1-0 loss to Bognor and then drew 1-1 at Christchurch, before finishing with a 1-0 loss.

Claridge said: "On the plus side the guys who have come in have done a really good job and we look a lot more organised than we did last season. We are certainly not giving up many goals. We have a very good squad when everyone is fit. We will just what we have availabel and do the best we can."

As well as Beauchamp, other additions to the Whites for the coming season are Matt Partridge, Pablo Haysham, Dan Fitchett, George Barker and Darren Mullings.

Looking ahead to the opening two games Claridge said: " Beaconsfield won their league last season, so it a really tough opener and Poole at home will be too, but this is what this league is about.

"The pressure is now off us as we are not expected to win every game and I think it will be a very exciting campaign. We will know where we are at after a few games."