IT has been a rather dreamy start to the new season for Worcester Raiders according to captain Joe Billingham.

Raiders are through to the FA Cup preliminary round after beating Daventry Town on Wednesday night and that came on the back of a 5-1 win to kick off their first ever season at Step 5.

Billingham scored in the draw with Daventry at the weekend and was then on the scoreboard again in the replay on Wednesday, helping his side progress to the next round of the famous competition.

"I thought we could have won it in extra time at the weekend if it went that way but we got the job done so that's the main thing," said the skipper.

"We are buzzing with the start to the season but we are still at the start so there is a long way to go but we keep plodding on, can't complain at the start."

Billingham was named captain following the departure of his predecessor Logan Stoddart in the summer.

And in a new era for the club, Billingham has been keen to build a better togetherness within the squad.

"When they said they wanted me to be captain, I wanted to bring us closer as a group," he added.

"Now we have a good team spirit and the lads are bouncing off each other so even when we go a goal down I don't worry because all the lads are all up for it."

Raiders will now play Malvern Town, one of Billingham's former clubs, in the next round of the FA Cup.

"It's always good playing in the FA Cup , it's what we all dream of," he added.

"But that's what the FA Cup is about, dreams coming true and who knows how far we could get, stranger things have happened!

"We did have one eye on the draw. It's always going to be a tough game against a local rival but we have to treat it like any other game, prepare right and hopefully get another win."