AFC St Austell manager Chris Knight wants his his side to ‘give a good account of ourselves’ as they prepare for their first ever Western League Premier Division game at home to Street on Saturday (3pm).

The Lillywhites survived a superb fight from Liskeard Athletic to win the SWPL Premier West title and with it promotion to Step Five, and have prepared with several impressive signings.

Defensive midfielder Callum Watson arrives from league rivals Buckland Athletic, as does winger Teigan Rosenquest, while the mercurial Max Gilbert has joined from Liskeard where he racked up the goals and assists last term.

Striker Curtis Damerell, a title winner with Helston Athletic last term, arrives aiming to form a prolific partnership with Adam Carter, who scored 33 goals to propel the Saints to the title.

Knight admitted they can’t wait to start.

He said: “We’re all very excited, a new adventure for us and one we are under no illusion the difficulty of, but we go into it full of determination to do well and give a good account of ourselves.

“Every game every week will be a battle, that's for sure, clearly it will be a big learning curve for our team but again we can only go into it to do well and see where we end up.

“There certainly is no fear, we know there will be difficult weeks but we haven’t worked as hard as we have to get here not to enjoy it!”

Knight knows the importance of keeping last year’s key players at Poltair Park.

He said: “The strength of our team is our core group and I'm delighted we have kept that, it's the reason we are where we are and I trust my players with my life and I'm looking forward to seeing how we do.

“We've brought in quality thats for sure, and experience in the league which is what we are banking on, and I’m sure they’ll show their quality.

“Curtis Damerell’s record speaks for itself and he’s a winner, he won this league last year and his experience will be invaluable. Callum Watson gives us real control in the middle of the park and Teigan has been there and done it and has real quality. Max Gilbert has shown pre-season what he’s about, a brilliant player which I’m sure our supporters will be delighted to see.”

St Austell have been busy in pre-season.

They started with a narrow 1-0 defeat at one-league higher Tavistock before seeing off Okehampton Argyle 3-1 at Callywith College, Camelford 5-1 away from home last Tuesday and thrashed Bude Town 6-0 on Saturday.

Reflecting on the last few weeks, Knight said: “Pre-season has been great. The new lads have all fitted in fantastically so we can’t wait to get going now, we need to improve on our fitness which the players are well aware of, but we will be ready.”

Saturday’s clash against much-fancied Street is sure to attract a bumper crowd, and Knight admits the effort put in on and off the pitch over last couple of years are for those days.

He said: “It’ll be a great day for the club, the first ever game at this level and it makes me proud to be the manager to have done that.

“We couldn’t have a harder start to be honest, one of the favourites at home, you only have to look at who they’ve signed to see that.

“But that’s why we have worked hard to get to this level, to play the best, and they certainly will be one of those.”