Gorleston hammered Ely City 8-1 on the final day of last season – but Stewart Larter is taking nothing for granted when the two sides meet this afternoon.

The Greens finished third in the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division last term and have been tipped by many to lift the title this time around with champions Dereham Town and runners-up Wisbech Town moving onto pastures new.

However, Larter is refusing to get carried away and has banished all thoughts of dishing out a similar hammering on the first weekend of the new season.

He said: 'Last game of last season we absolutely thumped Ely 8-1 and they had just come off the back of a final. They caught us on a good day and we got them on a bad day.

'I'm sure they will look to put that right so we are not looking any further ahead than that. They are a better side than that because if they weren't then they wouldn't have won the Cambs Invitation Cup against Cambridge City. They've had a good pre-season so it will be fairly even.

'I am very happy with the squad that I have got and I think we have done as much as we can in pre-season to put ourselves in the best position.'

Elsewhere, Diss Town welcome Mildenhall Town, Kirkley & Pakefield entertain FC Clacton, Norwich United host CRC and Thetford Town – who were given a relegation reprieve – travel to Stanway Rovers on the Eastern Counties League's opening day.

'Obviously we have had the good fortune of retaining Premier status and that's helped in building the squad, financially and everything really,' said Town boss Mark Scott.

'Dropping down to Division One would have been a huge blow to us. To stay in this division is a massive bonus to us all. It gives us the chance, hopefully, to go out and prove ourselves this season after not really getting a fair crack at it last season. With so many players going nothing was ever settled but we're hoping this season we can prove that we deserve to be in that division.

'We've kept the majority of the squad that we wanted to keep from last season and with a few additions we're looking strong.'

In the First Division, Downham Town travel to Debenham LC, Fakenham Town host Whitton United, Swaffham Town travel to Long Melford while Great Yarmouth Town visit Saffron Walden Town.

An exciting term at Dereham continues with their reserve team visiting Halstead Town.