Nostell Miners Welfare are preparing for their top-of-the-table clash at Gedling tomorrow with boss Alan Colquhoun admitting: "This is beyond my wildest dreams."

After being promoted from the West Yorkshire League in the Summer, they are sitting pretty at the top of table after taking maximum points from two games against Rossington Main and Yorkshire Amateur.

Colquhoun says his side have so far exceeded all expectations - though he admits the real test comes tomorrow when they take on a Gedling outfit who have made a perfect start and who are promotion favourites after just missing out last season.

He said: "I always felt we could hold our own, but to win the first two games was far more than we could have expected. The aim was just to finish outside the bottom three this season.

"Though I was confident we could cope, until you get a couple of games under your belt you never know and the aim really was not to be embarrassed.

"Now I would be disappointed if we didn't finish at least mid-table.

"It's been a tremendous start - beyond my wildest dreams. But Gedling will prove a good yardstick for us. That game will allow us to see how good we actually are.

"No disrespect to Rossington or Yorkshire Amateur, but I expect Gedling to be one of the sides to beat this year."

Colquhoun, 40, played in the NCE League himself with the likes of Ossett Albion, Ossett Town and Liversedge before moving to Nostell as player-boss eight years ago.

Returning to the NCE League is a culmination of the work undertaken since.

He has retained the players who were pipped in the defence of their West Yorkshire League crown by Leeds Met Carnegie last season, but the additions of ex-Sheffield Wednesday keeper John Scargill and centre-half Dave Watts from Albion state their intentions.

"No disrespect to the West Yorkshire League but this is where we want to be," added Colquhoun. "It's the reason why I joined Nostell.

"They sold it to me on the fact they wanted to be here, though it's taken three years longer than expected to develop the facilities, and we certainly won't give it up without a fight."

Meanwhile, Leeds Met could be following in the footsteps of Nostell. They kicked off the new season at Farsley Celtic with a view to a groundshare, enabling them to apply for the step up to the NCE League.