DORCHESTER Town manager Callum Brooks is eager to begin the Magpies’ pre-season at home to Bridgwater Town tonight (7.45pm) after three “intense and detailed” training sessions.

Brooks, who is leading the Clayson Stadium outfit into a season for the first time after joining in March, has signed 18 players in the close season to date.

Josh Williams is also expected to dual-sign with the Magpies, although that deal is set to be delayed as the midfielder is on holiday.

But for Brooks the focus is on spreading match minutes around his squad against the Robins.

He told Echosport: “It’s a game I’m hugely looking forward to, We’ve had three really bright, intense and detailed training sessions.

“We’ve covered a lot in the sessions and the boys have covered a lot of ground so taking that into consideration we’re all at a stage now where we’re all looking forward to getting into a game, taking that feel-good factor and base of fitness.

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the stadium and hopefully back in front of the supporters as well.”

As always in pre-season, Brooks will not be focusing on the scoreline.

“The result is secondary,” Brooks emphasised. “Pre-season is a training exercise and we’ll be asking our group for two or three key things every game and they’re the objectives we’ll be looking at more closely than the score.

“Having said that, we still hope to score some goals, defend properly and if you can get some wins in pre-season that’s certainly not a bad thing either.”

Brooks also expects just two members of his squad to play more than 45 minutes against Bridgwater.

He said: “It’s almost two teams, there’s only two players that will be going more than 45 minutes.

“Both (Dorchester) teams will complete some running and conditioning work with myself when they’ve finished their 45 minutes.

“There’ll be a good mix, we’ve got some youngsters as well, some talented players who we’ll be looking to have as part of our first-team squad next year as well as our new signings.

“It’s just a really good feel-good factor around the club. Not only has that continued from last year, it’s been developed further.”

Meanwhile, BetVictor have signed a two-year deal to sponsor the Southern League from the 2019/2020 season onwards.