PAUL Britton is looking to finalise his Yate Town squad very shortly as the start of the new season fast approaches.

But the manager is not put off by two pre-season defeats for the Bluebells over the week prior to last night’s third summer warm-up, a local derby with newly-promoted Toolstation Western League Premier Division neighbours Chipping Sodbury Town.

Yate went down to a couple of other Western League Premier Division sides in their opening matches of the new campaign, losing 3-1 Bristol Manor Farm last Friday and defeated on Monday night by 2-0 at Toolstation Bradford Town.

The Bluebells hectic pre-season will see them travel to Brislington on Saturday before their first home match against Frome Town on Saturday week.

By then, Britton should have a firm idea of his squad.

After the Bradford Town loss, Britton said: “The squad is pretty much taking shape as we speak. There will be decisions made on tonight’s game and the key players who did not play.”

And the size of the squad? “About 16ish. We will take it from there.”

But, Yate need to score more goals although Josh Morgan-Williams, who was re-signed in April, proved a handful against Bradford Town in support of striker Darren Edwards.

Britton said: “Josh is a handful. He has so much potential and he doesn’t always fulfil it so that is part of the remit of trying to get it out of him.

“Some of our approach play was pretty good to be fair, but, in the final third, we lacked that bit of quality and didn’t take opportunities that came our way. We had a chance to go 1-0 up when Josh spooned one.

“But it is just a pre-season friendly. We did not have key figures here because we rested them due to precautionary measures with knocks here and there. We have played a lot of the squad players that are on the fringe to have a look at them.

“I am disappointed with the result but we have lost a friendly 2-0. If we play that way on August 6, then I will be more disappointed and more worried but that is the situation as it stands."

Yate’s Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West fixtures for next season were confirmed last Friday and they will face a home derby with Slimbridge on August 13.

The pair will meet again at Thornhill Park on November 19.

Yate will kick-off their season away at Barnstaple Town on Saturday August 6 before facing Shortwood United on the following Tuesday. Then comes the derby with the Swans.

The first match against one of the sides expected to be in the top two this season comes on September 24 when Salisbury Town travel to Lodge Road.

The other is the visit of newly-promoted Hereford on January 21.