ASHLEY Vickers is hoping to use Dorchester’s outsider status to good effect in tomorrow’s opening-day clash at Bromley (3pm).

The Magpies are priced bottom of the pile in league sponsors Blue Square Bet’s market for promotion.

And they are tipped to lose their Blue Square Bet South curtain-raiser at Hayes Lane tomorrow with Bromley clear favourites at 8/11 for the win.

However, boss Vickers believes the underdog tag will only galvanise his troops further.

Commenting on the bookmakers’ outlook, he said: “I like it that way as it makes the boys more determined. I could pin that on the dressing room wall and it would encourage everyone.

“The boys are confident and enthusiastic and they cannot wait to get out there. They’ve been training well in pre-season and done all the necessary fitness work.

“Bromley are a tidy side and money is not a problem for them. But they try and play football the right way so we will have to prepare as best we can.

“It’s quite a long way to go and it won’t be easy so I’d be happy if we came back with something from the game. We’re a match for anybody though and we will see what happens.”

The county town outfit have won their opening-day fixture in each of the last four years.

However, the Magpies went on to struggle in all of those campaigns and failed to finish any higher than 17th.

Although keen to hit the ground running, Vickers remains focused on the bigger picture.

He added: “The club has done well on the opening day in recent years but still gone on to have a poor season. I just want us to take something positive from the game and start as we mean to go on.

“We’ve got some tough opening fixtures but we can do well if we apply ourselves.”

Bromley have enjoyed a fruitful pre-season with impressive victories over Millwall, Dagenham & Redbridge and Crawley Town – whom Dorchester lost 6-0 to four weeks ago.

Vickers is therefore hopeful of catching his side’s opponents off guard.

He added: “I know what they are like and they might be a bit cocky after the results they’ve had. We will go there to get a positive result and they will know they’ve been in a game.

“If we do the right things at the right times then we will have every opportunity.”

The Magpies have no fresh injury concerns ahead of tomorrow’s trip with defender Gary Bowles (ankle) still the only absentee.

Striker Stuart Douglas could make his competitive debut after signing non-contract terms in the week.

Magpies (from): Coward, Evans, R Hill, Frampton, Critchell, Smeeton, Martin, K Hill, Walker, Jermyn, Coutts, Gleeson, Nodwell, Crittenden, Devlin, Wilson, Allen, Moss, Douglas, Groves.