Rainworth Miners Welfare say they are not going into the KoolSport NCEL Premier Division to make up the numbers.

As the club prepares for its first ever season as a Step 5 club, manager Rudy Funk and assistant Billy Millar are adamant that they want the one promotion place to UniBond League for themselves.

The Wrens could have no better example of what can be achieved than opening day visitors Winterton Rangers.

Like Rainworth, Winterton won promotion from Division One as runners up, and they immediately showed what can be done by winning the Premier Division title at the first attempt, albeit not opting to apply for promotion to the UniBond League.

Speaking after the Wrens had demolished Heanor Town 5-1 in their final pre-season warm-up game, the management duo oozed positivity.

Assistant boss Millar, reflecting on the fact that they had ended their pre-season as they had begun it with a 5-1 win, enthused: "We have set our standards for the coming season.

"Our pre-season has got better as it has gone along, for instance Heanor are a better side than Clipstone who we beat by the same score in the first game.

"We've both enjoyed the build-up to the new season, but you have to guard against judging things on the basis of what you do in these games.

"However, one thing we will say is that we have a splendid pitch to play on, so we will be changing our style to play more football.

"It's what people want to see, and we hope that our new style, our facilities and, of course, our results, will bring more people though our gates."

Manager Rudy Funk added: "You can see in the pre-season games that our attendances have increased from last year.

"As Billy said, we've adopted a different shape, we've got one or two new players in who like to move the ball around, and when you have people like our groundsmen who prepare the pitch to such quality, and a clubhouse of such a good standard, and then see how the side is shaping up, what more does anyone want?

"There are so many big stories about clubs and how much they are splashing out on players, but when you have got what we have got, then money ? although it does help ? is secondary.

"It's all about good players coming here and enjoying being here.

"We saw against Heanor that we could change virtually the whole team at half time and yet we carried on as if nothing had happened.

"It just shows the strength of our team that we could do that and still play in the same manner as we did in the first half.

"Ever since we've joined this club, we've never spoken negatively about consolidating, and why should it be any different this season?

"This division has only one promotion, and we want that place?and that will be our mission statement throughout the year."