Chester FC manager Steve Burr expects the new campaign to deliver goals and excitement following a near-perfect pre-season.
The Blues finished with five straight wins, scoring 14 goals in the process, and will hope to take that form into the home game with Braintree Town on Saturday (3pm).
Burr, who went close to promotion with an attack-minded Kidderminster Harriers team, has been encouraged at what he has seen, in particular the spread of goals.
John Rooney netted four times including a hat-trick in a 4-0 defeat of Liverpool U21s, Jordan Chapell, Sam Hughes and Tom Peers got two apiece, and although Ross Hannah scored just once, Burr has backed the striker to build on his goal in the weekend’s 3-2 win over Crewe Alexandra.
IN PICTURES: Action from Chester's 3-2 pre-season win over Crewe Alex
Burr said: "It was great to see Ross score. He’s been trying and trying and I said to him ‘I’d sooner you be in positions to take chances and miss than not be having the chances’.
"As a striker you want to score and it was nice for him to get off the mark. We look like a side that’s capable of creating a lot of chances and with somebody like Ross in the team I’m sure he’ll be in amongst the goals.
"It’s important to have a striker like that. I always look at the goalscoring charts and if we’ve got somebody in there whose scoring on a regular basis for us then I don’t think we’ll be too far away
"I think the pleasing thing for me is that we’ve got goals from other areas. John Rooney has been on fire for us during pre-season, but I just hope he hasn’t used his goal quota up.
"Jordan Chapell has got a couple, Tom Peers has got a few goals which is a boost for him and if Ben Heneghan can give us a return on the goals he scored last season from set pieces then we’ll be fine. I don’t think we’ll struggle to score.
"We’re looking forward to the first game and I know how much the fans look forward to that and the season ahead so hopefully we can give them a lot to cheer about again this season and have a good one."
Chester lost 3-2 at home to Braintree last season, although the Iron now have a new manager in Danny Cowley.
Burr has a slight fitness concern over centre-back Ian Sharps but expects his 34-year-old skipper to shake off a hamstring strain.
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