WORCESTER City boss Andy Preece believes his team could not have asked for a much tougher start to the season.

City are due to play four of last season's top eight - as well as both promoted clubs and newly-relegated Tamworth - in the first seven games of their Blue Square North campaign.

The visit of Hyde United to St George's Lane kicks things off on Saturday, August 11, followed by a trip to beaten play-off finalists Hinckley 48 hours later.

Journeys to newcomers Burscough and AFC Telford then fall either side of an early meeting with last season's runners-up Kettering at the Lane.

Harrogate Town, who missed out on the play-offs on the final day of last season, are City's first visitors in September and the short trip to Tamworth follows seven days later.

Preece said: "It's a very tough opening. When you look how the table finished last year we have got Hinckley and Kettering, who both finished in the play-offs, and Hyde, who finished just outside the play-offs.

"Burscough and Telford got promoted and Tamworth were relegated last season.

"It couldn't have been much tougher if you had hand-picked it.

"They would be among the tougher games but it's a good test.

"If we are going to be in there around the top we have to get good results against those teams which we have done in previous seasons.

"If we have a good start, that's going to give us great confidence for the rest of the season."

He added: "It's the first time we have started at home in my time here. That was one of the main things I wanted and it's a good test for us. Hyde were a good side last year and I know that Steve Waywell has been trying to add to his squad so I would put them up among the challengers again."

The fixture computer has been kind to City over the Christmas period with derbies against Redditch United at home on Boxing Day and at the Valley on New Year's Day sandwiching the visit of Telford.

However, the three longest journies - Blyth, Workington and Barrow - all fall in the last six games of the season, with City travelling to the latter for the final match on May 3.

Preece, whose side started last season with a 1-0 win at Barrow, said: "Come the end of the season, we are going to be on our travels.

"I can't moan, it comes out how it does and you get on with it.

"At least we have got decent fixtures over Christmas so we should get decent crowds."