Dalbeattie Star looking to hit the ground running in Lowland League opener against Civil Service Strollers

Dalbeattie Star are looking to hit the ground running on Saturday.

Ritchie Maxwell’s side begin the Lowland League season by welcoming Civil Service Strollers to Islecroft.

And anticipation is building ahead of their first competitive game since December.

Maxwell said: “It’s really exciting to get started. It’s been a long time and there’s been a lot of changes in the squad since we last played. We’ve lost a few players and we’ve got six or seven players in.

“Pre-season has been positive and we want to hit the ground running.

“A home game to start with is always good but it will be a hard game.

“Their manager Gary Jardine has won the league a few times with Edinburgh City and expects them to be up challenging in the top five or six. We are under no illusions it will be a difficult game but it is a great opportunity to get the season off to a good start.

“The last three or four seasons we’ve had some very difficult games to start with.

“There are no easy games in the Lowland League but it is a home game to start and we need to take advantage of that.

“It makes a massive difference if you can get points on the board early, especially as there are a lot of games over the next month.

“We have one player who is touch and go for Saturday but the rest should have a clean bill of health. That will make it difficult for myself, Chris Jardine and Alan Milligan such is the strength in depth but that is the position we want to be in.”

While Star have already signed six players this summer, Maxwell is hopeful of boosting his squad further after trialists impressed in friendlies.

The side ran out 3-1 winners against Queen of the South’s second string last week before rounding off pre-season with a 2-0 loss at Clydebank on Saturday.

Maxwell said: “Because of the guidelines between teams testing and not testing, we have lost a few friendlies we had lined-up against Glenafton and Maybole so we were grateful to Queens for
stepping in.

“Although it was a friendly it was a good game and it is always good to get some goals. Russell Currie scored a couple of goals and hopefully that will give him confidence.

“I think Clydebank are of a similar standard to what we will be playing against in the Lowland League. We were a bit short of players as some were working and we had one a bit unwell so he had to call off.

“It was still a worthwhile exercise and I was satisfied with the performance if not result.”