BOSS Matty Holmes said Wimborne would be Southern League South’s “underdogs” no matter what the occasion this season.

Holmes is tomorrow preparing to battle his former club Dorchester in what is the Cuthbury outfit’s first home contest at step three (7.45pm).

Wimborne jumped at the chance of promotion after Shaw Lane’s withdrawal from the Northern League Premier Division had a knock-on effect around the country.

The Dorset club lost 3-1 at Farnborough in their inaugural fixture at the level but Holmes insisted he was not concerned by the opening-day reverse.

He told the Daily Echo: “I think every game we play this season we are underdogs with the way we went up into this league. That is something we have to look at as a positive.

“Whatever happens against Dorchester, we are at home, we have to utilise our strengths and keep to our game plan, which we didn’t quite do for a 20-minute spell on Saturday.

“If we play like we did for most of that game, we won’t have any issues at all, we will be fine.

“I wouldn’t say we were robbed on Saturday but we were very unlucky not to get a point.”

Holmes spent four seasons at the Avenue during his time as a Dorchester player, having been forced to retire from the professional game due to injury.

He played a starring role in helping the county town side seal the 2002-03 Southern League Eastern Division crown under Mark Morris, playing in a squad which included the likes of Mark Jermyn, Michael Walker and Ollie Cherrett.

Formerly of Cherries and West Ham, Holmes made more than 170 appearances in the black and white of Dorchester.

But he is keen to topple his former employers in a bid to get Wimborne off the mark.

“I had a great four years at Dorchester,” he added. “They are a wonderful football club and I hope they do well this season.

“But I work for Wimborne and we need to get a good result. We want to get our first win and points on the board.

“We will work out ways we can try to hurt Dorchester and get a good result.”

Striker Toby Holmes is also set to face his former club. He scored twice for Wimborne against Dorchester in last season’s Dorset Senior Cup.

Wimborne are sweating on the injury picked up by new recruit Lewis Tallack. The full-back was forced off during the second half at Cherrywood Road.

“It was a big impact injury, there was a big bruise to his hip and he kept seizing up. He will have to be assessed,” added the Wimborne boss.

James Stokoe is also rated touch and go for the encounter.

Magpies: (from) Benfield, Tallack, Lee, Davidson, Arnold, Kellaway, Maybury, L Holmes, T Holmes, Burbidge, Lovell, Francis, Walker, Penny, Young, Stokoe, Walsh.