Winterbourne United manager Stewart Jones is determined to better last season's seventh-placed finish in Division One West.

And the Parkside Avenue boss is praying a stack of missing personnel will not crush his team's chances of getting off to a flying start in their quest to recapture their 2007-08 title triumph.

A 2-0 opening defeat by Slimbridge on Wednesday night did little to help matters.

Now Jones' latest headache on the eve of tomorrow's away encounter with Headington Amateurs lies between the sticks, as regular incumbent Tom Shepherd has quit for County League side AXA.

Midfielder Ben Walker is out for four weeks following knee surgery, while Tom Blyth and Ben Rhodes are away and Marc Hughes is suspended.

At least midfielder James Mainstone returns in time to make tomorrow's trek, while Jones admitted: "Pre-season has not been the best but things will get better, I'm determined to ensure we improve on last year."

Barry Granger is hoping Tytherington Rocks' soaraway start to the campaign continues in earnest at North Leigh Reserves tomorrow. Despite missing key players, Rocks came away from Lydney Town 3-0 winners in Tuesday night's league opener and manager Granger, who remains without Ross Irwin, Rob Cave, Danny Thompson and Nick Ackland, said: "It was a great win and sets us off on the right note."

Granger, however, no longer has Patchway Town-bound Luke Garbacz, Scott Wooder (now Yate Reserves) and Dean Kingman, who is taking a break from football, to call upon.