There's no mathematical formula for determining guaranteed football succes but it doesn't take an Einstein to work out why Halesowen Town's season drifted into anonymity last term.

Manager Paul Holleran simply points to the lack of goals throughout his team to explain why the Yeltz had to settle for mid-table in the Southern Premier. Which is why his summer shopping list has featured three strikers and three experienced additions to bring the best out of The Grove squad.

"We have been ten per cent short in the last two seasons," said Holleran. "Last year, we stood still. We finished in the top eight but we need to find that little bit extra to push for the play-offs.

"Last year we didn't score enough goals. That's not just the forwards, but all over the pitch. We need more goals from more areas.

"We played some good stuff last season but we didn't finish teams off. We couldn't put together a run of three or four wins to force our way into the play-offs and we were playing catch-up."

Holleran believes his squad now possesses a wider range of attacking options, though new front-runners Paul Szewczyk and Sean Dowdall will face fitness tests ahead of tomorrow'smatch at title favourites King's Lynn.

Former Bromsgrove Rovers and Hednesford Town forward Szewczyk has moved from Stafford Rangers and Dowdall from Moor Green while onetime Kidderminster Harriers forward Matt Lewis arrives from Hinckley.

Experience will be provided by Rob Warner (Worcester), Lee Williams (Hednesford), Chris Brindley (Gresley Rovers) and Mark Gayle (Tamworth).

"Those four lads have been there and done it in non-League," said Hollleran. "They will bring more quality into the team, they keep the ball better and they have a lot more know-how.

"I don't think there's going to be too much between the teams in the Premier. Last season, Salisbury were the best side in the league by far. But I think this season is going to be more like two years ago when it went down to the wire and there were nine teams playing for the play-offs on the last day of the season.

"We want to be up there at the top of the table. If you don't go into a new season thinking you can win it, you might as well not bother. We are realistic. There are bigger fish in this division but we can certainly compete." Such optimism will be tested in the first few weeks of the season.

After tomorrow's match at King's Lynn, Halesowen face likely contenders Tiverton Town, Bath City and Maiden-head in the first four weeks.

Szewczyk (hamstring), Dowdall (ankle) and Alex Cowley (quad muscle) have been having treatment this week ahead to the clash with King's Lynn but Holleran hopes they will be fit.