A GOOD start to the season is imperative for us if we want to enjoy a successful campaign.

Two games in and we've got four points from six and I think on Saturday at three o'clock I would have settled for that.

Picking up points on the road will be vital for us and last year we began the season in great style, not losing away from home until October.

We kept the points tally ticking over in the away column in every game which was crucial in hauling us into contention.

Unfortunately we could not sustain that challenge but the fact we were up there was due in many respects to our away form.

There's no great secret to playing away -- it's the same pitch, same number of opponents -- but perhaps it's a little easier than at home where the expectation is not only to win but to do so in style.

The season kicked off with a difficult game against Havant & Waterlooville, one of the sides that could well be contesting for the title.

Havant proved tough opponents, despite being reduced to 10 men, but being forced to accept a point was not the end of the world because the opening day produced eight draws in the Dr Martens Premier Division which indicates just how competitive this league could prove to be.

Merthyr, last night, was another potentially tricky one. They were still on a high from a win at Crawley on Saturday plus the feel good factor from promotion, so it was never going to be an easy game.

But we started well and quickly got a grip on the game with two early strikes.

What will be important for us, especially with many matches likely to be such closely contested affairs, is having a matchwinner in our ranks.

It's important to have a threat in the side and more importantly to make your opponents realise you have a threat.

We have got players that once they are fit can offer us that. I'm thinking of the likes of David Foy and Pat Lyons in midfield, Adam Wilde (who was the difference last night) Stewart Hadley and Leon Kelly up front.

I can go through a lot of names that in the right set of circumstances can make the difference between one point or three points.

We will be looking for that kind of impact at Welling on Saturday. Mick Tuohy has got a bit of a feeling about Welling this time round and under Paul Parker, with the players he's brought in, there is optimism there for a better season.

Likewise for Moor Green our Bank Holiday opponents. They've got some good players, brought in a few new ones and expectation there must be rising.

I get on well with Bob Faulkner, who along with Graham Allner, is one of that rare breed of managers that have been at a club for a long time - it's quite an achievement and anybody who manages to stay that length of time must have some kind of a magic formula.

But friendship will be put aside for 90 minutes for what has developed as a fierce rivalry between Moor Green and City.

We were undefeated against them last year including a 4-0 win at St George's Lane but there's nothing we can take for granted. It's going to be a tough one but one to really look forward to.

By Monday we will have Paul Carty and Carl Heeley back in the squad while Pat Lyons is due to play in the reserves on Saturday so after a difficult start with injuries I'm going to have some interesting selection problems which is fine by me.

It's also been a boost how the new lads Leon and Barry Woolley have settled in. I think they've been struck by the size of the club in comparison to what they experienced at Ilkeston but are enjoying it.