TAUNTON Town's pre-season campaign has highlighted their intent ahead of their first efforts in the National League South.

The squad has grown and changed from last season as manager Rob Dray is continuing to find his best XI.

In more recent games like the one against Bideford, it is clear that the squad is being refined more and more.

Despite losing the Bideford game, there were many positives to take from it in terms of players match fitness.

Rob Dray said: "One or two hadn't got ninety minutes and now they have which is good.

"Chambo (Ollie Chamberlain) got his first ninety minutes for six months which is really good.

"You take key players out of any side it is going to be difficult, but I believe we have a really solid 18 or 19, through the whole pre-season everyone who has come on has done really well.

"One in particular is Harry Warwick, he has come on and done really well, he has had a good pre-season.

"Even though we have a core group of starting players it is good to see others pushing for spaces.

Determining which players will play in the forward area is one that Dray is still trying to work out.

In his current formation he likes to line Taunton up with two players up front. Last season that was quite often Toby Holmes and Gethyn Hill or Jared Lewington.

Since Holmes and Hill have left it is this pre-season where different partnerships are getting a run out.

Currently Taunton have Lewington, Nick McCootie, David Sims-Burgess and Matt Jarvis all vying for the forward positions.

"Really pleased with Simsy tonight, got another 70 minutes into him and Jarvis when he came on was a handful, he is a bruiser truly," Dray said.

He added: "McCootie looked good tonight, he is a top player, we have plenty of options now."

Taunton Town now face Frome Town on Friday night (July 22) away from home.

It will be a tough game as in their last time out, Frome defeated National League South side Weymouth 2-0.

"Frome will be good, they are very well organised," Dray said. "They have signed some really good players, surface will be nice, and we have to better than we were against Bideford.

"We will have one or two back from little injuries and we we go again."