Luke Garrard says a strong start will set the tone for Boreham Wood's season ahead of Saturday's season opener at home to Forest Green Rovers (3pm kick-off).

Wood lost eight of their first 11 games last season as they adjusted to life in the National League under former boss Ian Allinson. Garrard, who is starting his first full season as manager, will hope to avoid a similar sequence.

"I believe a strong start will set the tone for the season," he said. "You play a quarter of your season in the first eight or nine weeks so that's a massive amount of points to gain. We've got a tough start, like everyone else has got a tough start, but we've got to do our own business.

"It's going to be a tough league and hopefully we get off to a better start than last year. We have to play them all so whether we play them at the start, middle or end it doesn't matter. Whether we can catch them on the hop, who knows?"

Forest Green are under new management. They won their first nine under Ady Pennock last term before surrendering the lead to eventual winners Cheltenham Town and finishing as runners-up.

Pennock was subsequently sacked before the play-offs began with assistant Scott Bartlett leading the side and new boss Mark Cooper in an advisory role. Despite the upheaval Rovers reached Wembley but lost the Play-Off Final 3-1 to Grimsby Town.

The Stroud side will be something of an unknown quantity after a summer of change. But Garrard is ready for a stern examination on the opening day.

"I expect very tough opposition," he said. "They were at home to Newport County on Saturday so we had a report on them. They've got another game on Tuesday so we will have another report then. The focus has got to be on us though. We've got to be on the front foot at home and I'm really excited.

"They were National League play-off finalists last year and 90 minutes away from getting into the Football League so you can't take that away from them.

"They've been phenomenal this year and they will be a tough test. I don't believe any team at this level will be easy."

Wood will be without Green Army loanee Anthony Jeffrey. The winger, who joined FGR from Boreham Wood in January, has returned to Meadow Park on loan this summer but cannot play against his parent club.

Danny Woodards made his return from a foot injury in the 4-0 friendly win at Hemel Hempstead Town on Saturday but Daniel Uchechi missed out with injury sustained against Stevenage last Tuesday and will be sidelined for two to three weeks.

Forest Green were the second visitors to Meadow Park last season and maintained their fine start by winning 1-0 thanks to Kurtis Guthrie's late header. They completed a league double over Wood thanks to another Guthrie goal six days before Christmas.