Mullen wants improvement ahead of season opener

With the clock ticking down towards day one of the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League season Spartans full back Damen Mullen feels his side have to improve after narrowly seeing off Northern League side Billingham Synthonia. It took a late Neal Hooks penalty to see off Synners and Mullen was quick to point out post-match that his side will have to put on a better performance if they are to get anything from the trip to Marine.

"Obviously we were set up in 4-5-1 and we have looked good in that formation so far but today we just didn't get going. It was hard fought out there but a wins a win isn't it. We said in the dressing room that the performance wasn't good enough but it is a win and you want a winning mentality ahead of the new season"

Despite the rather below par performance Mullen insisted that Spartans would head to Merseyside full of confidence and with the aim of giving it their "best shot" and that he will rellish the fact that the fixtures have handed Spartans such a tricky start to the new campaign.

"We can't wait for the season to start now, we couldn't ask for many bigger games than Marine away. We have had an up and down pre-season with some good and not so good performances but everyone is in the same boat come day one of the season so we just have to go there and give it our best shot."

Following the trip to Marine Spartans face a Croft Park double header with Trafford and Worksop Town making the trip to Northumberland within the space of five days. That will give them a chance to kick the home campaign off in style in front of the Green Army and Mullen had a message for the Spartans faithful.

"Our supporters are great and they just want us to do well, we appreciate what they do and they are the ones paying the money to back us. We owe it to them to put on good performances and do our best for the club because it's their club after all"