NEWLY promoted Tadley Calleva start their Wessex League Premier Division campaign on Saturday with a visit from Fareham.

Then on Tuesday night, they are at home again, when Bemerton Heath Harlequins are the visitors to Barlow's Park.

A triple header of home games is completed a week on Saturday, when Tadley entertain Baffins Milton Rovers in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round.

The visitors on Saturday, Fareham finished 16th last season and Bemerton were 11th last term.

For manager Danny Dolan he is hoping his side can make a good start to campaign and take the pressure off them after being promoted.

Dolan said: "It is exciting times at the club and we are under no illusions it is going to be tough in this league. I really hope we can pick some points up early on."

"I have re-signed most of last season's squad which got us into this division which is good."

On the minus side Chris Morris and Daryl Phillips will be ruled out early season due to injury and striker Paul Coventry is unavailable for the home opener.

Tadley signed off their pre-season on Tuesday night, with a narrow 1-0 defeat at the hands of last season's FA Vase winners Thatcham Town.

A superb strike from Tom Melledew's 15 minutes from time won the game as he shot flew into the roof of the net.

Former Tadley man James Tennant went close early on, before at the other end Danny Vickers' shot from distance went wide.

Thatcham had a number of other chances in the first 45 minutes, but it remained 0-0 at the break.

After the interval, there were few chances until Melledew broke the deadlock.

With seven minutes left in the game, Tadley's leading goal scorer from last season Brett Denham was denied a late equaliser.