HOLSWORTHY boss Ryan Hall feels his side’s pre-season is going ‘really well’ as the Magpies gear up for their Walter C Parson SWPL Premier West league opener at Camelford on Saturday, August 3.

The Magpies were 11th last season having been transferred into the Cornish division of the SWPL, and hopes are that they can continue to progress.

Holsworthy have a solid spine with goalkeeper Ryan Chadwick, centre-half and captain Jedd Peschke and midfielder Ryan Buckland who won the manager’s player of the year award at the recent presentation evening, all set to stay.

Hall told the Post: “So far there have been no departures which is really good and was a key aim of mine.”

Holsworthy’s defensive record was excellent with just five teams conceding less, but it is going forward where they need to improve having scored just 41 goals in 32 games, a fact not lost on Hall.

He said: “I think it goes without saying during my tenure our defensive record by in large has been very good, but we haven’t scored anywhere near enough goals. We're looking to release the shackles a bit and give the lads a bit more freedom.”

However, Hall is hoping that promising frontman Blake Shapland will be the answer.

He joins from Western League Premier Division side Barnstaple Town, while teenage midfielder Jonny Lang has arrived having played for Bideford Under 18s last season.

Hall said: “Blake is a great addition, one of the best up and coming strikers around, so it was a key area for us.

“We’re so glad he chose us as he had many offers from higher-placed teams, so were super excited about that.

“Jonny Lang is one we're looking to develop, a really promising young player, who has a massive future at our level.

“We are really looking forward to watching his progress as we continue to develop the best young players in the area.

“We also have a super talented crop of under 16s who we’re looking at bringing into the squad this year. That said, there are a couple of key targets I’m looking at going into the season, to help guide the youngsters and to give them the platform to express themselves.

“Between myself and our reserve team manager Adam Wosnitzka, we're over the moon with the talent we have at the club, its really exciting times, especially with the ground developments and the commercial improvements the club are making.”

The Magpies started their pre-season preparations with a 2-1 defeat to Western League Premier Division outfit St Blazey on July 6, before easing past rivals Torrington from SWPL Premier East 3-0 last Tuesday (July 16).

Hall said: “Pre-season has gone really well so far. We have put a big emphasis on our fitness, we started well against Blazey, and played two mixed sides, while the manor of our play against Torrington really impressed me. We looked very good going forward and we came on strong towards the end.”

Hall wants to be flexible in games.

He said: “We’re looking at a couple of formations, which we will use throughout the season, one to set up against the better sides and one were going to use against most sides. 

“One of the other objectives of pre-season is to raise our fitness levels and so far, these are the best I’ve ever seen at the club, that’s when I was involved as a player and since I’ve been in charge.

“The lads have really bought in to what we want to do and seem to be focused heavily on achieving something this season, rather than going through the motions.”