Stourbridge home form key - Tony Windo

Windo doubles up his coaching duties with Stourbridge and Worcester

Stourbridge head coach Tony Windo believes good home form will be the key to their National One campaign.

The former Worcester Warriors forward is targeting a top half finish in his first season at the helm.

"Realistic hat on - if we can get ourselves winning home games and consistently challenging away we'll be OK," Windo told BBC WM.

"I don't think there's any reason to set limits on anything, I think the sky's the limit."

Windo will continue to assist the Warriors as their scrum coach in the Championship, but he has been impressed by the standard of the players he has found in his new job at Stourton Park.

Macclesfield is the first game of the season - they got promoted last season and they've obviously got some financial backing and they'll be a strong outfit

Tony Windo

"I've been pleasantly surprised with the standard and skills level - how the lads have taken to the conditioning element I've put in," he noted.

Stourbridge open their league season at home to Macclesfield on Saturday, 4 September, and it is only then that the real promotion contenders can be judged.

"Coventry will be up there with the top sides having been relegated, London Scottish are quite well financed, they're going to have quite a large squad," Windo suggested.

"Macclesfield is the first game of the season - they got promoted last season and they've obviously got some financial backing and they'll be a strong outfit."

Stourbridge have a chance to test their mettle this weekend when they take on Worcester in a pre-season friendly at Sixways.