STAND-OUT summer signing Justin Bennett believes Salisbury will be the fittest team in their league this season because manager Steve Claridge sets a 'ridiculous pace' in training.

Since leaving Gosport Borough and holidaying in Thailand, the red-hot striker joined hometown club Whites for pre-season.

The hard work started a fortnight ago in which Bennett, and his teammates, have been put through their paces by 50-year-old boss Claridge.

The ex-centre forward is setting the standard to ensure sure his troops are fit before they embark on their Southern League Division One South and West journey on Saturday, August 6.

Bennett, 34, admitted to JournalSport "training has been tough".

"Steve runs with us and runs at a ridiculous pace and expects us all to keep up with that pace. Anyone who doesn't, which has been me the last couple of times, he'll pick you out and say he expects more.

"It's not a case of training on nights we have training. We're expected to do our own bit outside but we'll be fit, definitely.

"We'll certainly be the fittest and from what I saw on Saturday we could be the best."

Bennett started out with Salisbury's reserves before moving onto Andover, Eastleigh and Gosport, where he spent nine years and became the club's all-time record goalscorer.

He sets himself a target of 30 goals a season but is currently Whites' only signed marksman.

Last season's golden boot winner Sam Wilson, who netted 40 goals, Ashley Jarvis and Jamie White have all exited the Ray Mac.

Former Bemerton Heath Harlequins' Joe Sanger has registered but is yet to sign a permanent deal.

"I want to keep myself fit and play most games barring injury," Bennett added.

He [Steve Claridge] will need other strikers, you need more than one in the squad.

"I'm sure he's [Claridge] out there working hard to bring someone else in. I'm here to do what I do and that's score goals and that's all I can do.

The target is always 30 goals. If I get to Christmas and I get quite close to that then I might stretch it."

Some 865 fans saw Bennett make his debut for Whites on Saturday in their 3-0 pre-season defeat to Bristol Rovers.

They also welcome Football League outfits Portsmouth on Tuesday (7pm) and Yeovil Town the following Tuesday (7.30pm).

A large crowd is expected for both, particularly for Pompey, a side Claridge represented and managed.

He continued: "Pre-season games are about fitness and those games you really do get fit because you are chasing the ball around, they have more of the possession so come start of the season we should be fitter than a lot of the teams we come up against. And if we can knick a goal against teams like that it just gives everyone a bit of confidence."

As well as being a semi-professional footballer, Bennett is a paraplanner at Chestergate Financial Planning.