STRIKER Phil Ormrod is relishing the prospect of increased competition for places when he begins his first full season with Dorchester Town next campaign.

The powerful forward agreed terms to remain at the Avenue for a further year after a successful spell at the end of last season and scored 24 goals in 28 games for Gillingham Town before switching to the Magpies.

Ormrod is one of 11 signings at the club with a further five expected to join before next season and the Dorchester hitman believes the new additions will help him to avoid complacency.

He said: “It’s always good to have competition for places because you can’t get complacent.

“I think we’ve got quite a few of the players we had last year so we have that base of what we finished last season with.”

Despite scoring an 85th-minute debut winner in a 2-1 win over Hayes and Yeading in March, Ormrod since found goals hard to come by but was nonetheless satisfied with his level of play.

He said: “I’m looking forward to getting a good start [next season] and building on it. I’m hoping for goals and I was genuinely happy with how I played last season but I just didn’t get the goals.”

With the introduction of former Reading striker Trevor Senior to the coaching staff Ormrod is looking to absorb as much knowledge as he can.

“I hear Trevor was a decent centre-forward back in the day! Hopefully I can learn a lot from him.

“I’m expecting more of the same from Craig and Stuart really, I’ve learned a lot from them already so I just have to build on that,” he told Echosport.

Ormrod’s initial move to the Magpies was influenced by his friends and Dorchester players Gary Bowles and Jon Vance and the striker cited them as a big factor in helping him to settle at the club.

“It’s obviously nice to play with your mates, it makes it a lot easier especially with travel. [Gary and Jon] both made it really easy and all the lads have done actually.

“Coming from a lower league club it was nice that they made me feel welcome. We’ve got a lot of big characters in the changing room and it was a good dressing room to be in despite the pressure of avoiding relegation,” he added.