New-look Romford Raiders get the 2024-25 National League season underway this weekend.

And the club's management group are hoping to build on the momentum gained during their opening pre-season contests.

Having split their home-and-away series with defending play-off champions Peterborough Phantoms, Raiders claimed successive wins over lower-league Invicta Dynamos last weekend.

That saw them lift the Kent & Essex Cup silverware in front of another good home crowd, but Adam Laishram's side now face the tough trip to big-spending MK Lightning on Saturday (7pm).

They will then play host to Swindon Wildcats in their first home fixture at the Sapphire Ice & Leisure Centre on Sunday (5.15pm).

Last season's team lost their opening game of the season at MK (6-1), suffering five more defeats against that opponent and winning two other encounters.

And Raiders won two and lost four of their head-to-head matches with Swindon in the league, before winning both of their contests in the play-offs.

But they just missed out on a trip to the finals weekend in Coventry for a second successive year - having reached the showpiece game in April 2023.

Now another competitive 54-game campaign begins and Raiders, after the summer takeover delayed team-building plans somewhat, have been tipped by many observers to be up against it this term.

But Raiders teams of the past have always enjoyed upsetting the odds.

"The league season and the real work starts now," said co-director Andy Pearson.

"The team needs your support, season tickets are still available on a variety of plans.

"It was one of the top three attendances since the Sapphire opened [last Sunday]. The kids for a quid deal brought in 166, an increase on last week [against Peterborough].

"Also the Buccaneers start this Saturday, if people want to watch them."

Canadian player-coach Laishram will have been pleased to see his side find the net with such regularity against Invicta.

Raiders finished with 16 goals across the two games, with Andrew Shewfelt helping himself to seven of them as fellow countryman Shaun Miller weighed in with three.

Laishram and Jake Sylvester - now seventh on the club's all-time scoring list - struck twice apiece, as long-serving Jacob Ranson also got on the scoresheet again and Tjay Anderson opened his account for the season.

Newcomers Tyler Nixon and Aiden Wilson caught the eye with assured performances in defence and attack, while Buccaneers Luca Pascale, Harvey Briggs, Billie Coe, Artjoms Kazaks and goalie Max van Mullem also took their opportunity to gain further experience with the senior side.