PRESTWICH Heys preparations for the new football season reach their climax on Saturday with an attractive home friendly against Salford City at Sandgate Road, kick-off 3pm.

The North West Counties League side are hotly tipped for success in the coming year after making several high profile signings during the summer and will provide a stiff final test for a new look Heys.

With the exception of young 'keeper Damien Rooney, who has joined Stand Athletic, Heys have successfully retained all of last season's squad and have strengthened it with a batch of new signings.

Although pre-season offers no real guide as to how a side may fare in the months ahead, hopes are high that Heys can improve greatly on last year's showing, when they finished 12th in the Finnair Manchester League Premier Division.

Pre-season has gone well with some excellent training sessions and some good friendly match work-outs. Heys have mixed and matched during the games, trying out many of their up and coming youngsters alongside established first team players to good effect.

The pre-season programme started with a 2-0 win over top Sunday outfit Queensway Celtic and was then followed by an unlucky 2-1 defeat at the hands of Ramsbottom United.

A 2-2 draw with Unibond League Ashton United and a 1-1 draw with Rochdalians followed, interspersed by a 2-0 victory over Leigh outfit Hagg Fold.

With the make-up of the first team and reserve team squads taking shape, last Saturday's fixture with Bury Amateurs was designated a second team game. A side made up mainly of last year's Under-18 side romped to a 5-0 victory.

Tomorrow's game is designated a first team fixture while the reserve team finish their preparations with a home game against local Sunday outfit, Coach and Horses, next Wednesday at 6.45pm.

The season itself starts on Saturday, August 19 and fixtures were due to be issued this week.