SEDGLEY Park player-coach Tim Fourie believes the first month of the season will go a long way to determining whether his side compete or struggle in their inaugural National League One campaign.

In the first four weeks of the new campaign, the Park Lane side will face a quartet of the strongest teams in the division in what is sure to be a baptism of fire.

Fourie said: "We will play four tough sides in the first month and that will show how far we have come.

"We need to get stuck in and we will be going for the win in every game because if we can get a few points on the board we know we can compete.

"We won't play many harder games than the opening few fixtures and if we come out of the first month with some points on the board we can feel confident. Otherwise, we could be in for a long, hard season."

Park's cause hasn't been helped by the injury sustained to influential scrum-half Dave McCormack in last weekend's 30-28 friendly defeat at Waterloo.

McCormack (broken arm) will join Danny McGee (broken leg) on the long-term casualty list, leaving Fourie short of options at the beginning of what promises to be a testing campaign.

The coach said: "I haven't got anything lined up at the moment but I'm looking to bring in a second row and scrum half to help us deal with these injuries. It's a frustrating time and isn't getting any easier at the moment."

One bright spot is the return of John Skurr from a mystery illness that hospitalised him last week.

NEXT Saturday's clash with Rotherham Titans is still scheduled to go ahead despite the RFU allowing the Yorkshire side to postpone their weekend clash with Bedford in an effort to get together some much-needed funds that would prevent the beleaguered club going under.