CONFIDENT Workington Reds boss Dave Hewson is hoping to open the season with a bang against Stafford tomorrow.

Reds begin their new Evo Stik Northern Premier League campaign at Borough Park with the visit of Stafford, ko 3pm.

And, despite still missing some regulars from last season, Hewson and joint manager Lee Andrews is hoping to start off with a positive result.

"I am very confident with the team we are going to start with," said Hewson.

"It will be a strong, experienced and competitive side so I have no qualms about the starting XI.

"I am speaking to a manager that has played Stafford recently but looking at their squad and players I believe that they will have a similar game plan and bring a similar threat to last season.

"We will prepare well, it is our first game and at home and I want us to dictate the game and take it to them, to start positive.

"We are aware of the threat Stafford pose and every team in this league b rings a different dynamic but it is very much about us starting positively and starting well."

Hewson admitted when some of their injured players return, following close season operations, he will have a more settled side.

"I think what everyone has to realise is that we have not got Dan Wordsworth, Scott Allison, Josh Calvert, Dave Symington and Phil McLuckie all still out.

"They have all got to come back into the squad that we've got."

There was some good news on defender Wordsworth who may feature on the bench either tomorrow against Stafford, or possibly on Tuesday night, when Reds travel to Bamber Bridge.

"Dan will be part of the squad but he is not ready to start yet" confirmed Hewson. "But he will be part of it, if not on Saturday, then Tuesday or the following Saturday which is a big boost for us.

"Scotty has been told he can start light training which is also huge, to get this calibre of player back so soon is a huge bonus for us.

"We will also miss Kieran Maguire for the first two games so he then has to come back into the side as well and he has showed his quality in the pre-season.

"Once we start to get these players back we will be a lot happier with the depth of the squad.

"We knew it would be this way at the start of the season, we just have to be patient."