Lyme Regis v Ilminster Reserves

NEW Lyme Regis boss Tim Edwards is eyeing silverware this season but building a squad for the future is also one of his main priorities.

Providing he is successful and given the chance, player/manager Edwards wants to take the team forward over the next couple of years.

Lyme’s Perry Street League campaign starts this Saturday when the Seasiders host Ilminster Reserves at Davey Fort (2.30pm).

With Edwards as his assistant last season, Karl Diment led Lyme to Dorset Intermediate Cup glory and second place in the league.

He stepped down from the managerial hot seat in the summer, giving Edwards his first taste of being a number one.

It’s a job he’s looking forward to and a role he wants to use to develop his youthful squad.

“We want to be there or thereabouts in the league and a couple of cups would be nice,” he said. “We’ve got a fairly young squad and it will be a case of bonding everyone together and seeing how we get on this season.

“Providing everything goes well, I’d like to have a couple of years with this squad because they are nearly all in their early 20s and it can take time to build a decent side.

“Although I worked with Karl and Robin Townsend before him, this is my first job as a manager and it can be quite different to being a number two.

“Things have gone fairly well in pre-season and fingers crossed we will be ready for Saturday.

“Ilminster lost to Millwey Rise last weekend but had a lot of players out so I expect them to be at full strength.”

Despite losing the services of Will Mowbray and Dan Rudge, the three men who missed last season while away travelling – Joe Bond, Aaron Cleal and Mark Batey – are back.

Lyme have played two competitive games already this term, beating Misterton 4-2 after extra-time in the Chard Hospital Cup before losing 5-0 at Perry Street in the next round.