SALISBURY City boss Nick Holmes is bitterly disappointed about his newly-promoted club's Conference South derby fixtures.

Instead of squaring up to local rivals Eastleigh or Dorchester Town over the major bank holiday weekends, the Wiltshire side must instead travel to Histon in Cambridgeshire on Monday, August 28, with Histon making the return journey to Old Sarum on Easter Monday.

While Eastleigh have Hampshire derbies against Basingstoke Town on Boxing Day (away) and New Year's Day (home), Salisbury have been paired home and away with Weston-super-Mare, with the visit of Dorchester on Saturday, December 30 being their only saving grace.

Ex-Saint Holmes said: "It's very disappointing. We'd hoped we'd get Dorchester or Eastleigh over the key dates which would guarantee bumper crowds for both clubs.

"It seems strange that we're travelling all the way to Histon on August Bank Holiday Monday and they've got to come to us on Easter Monday.

"No disrespect to them or to Weston-super-Mare, but I'm sure they'd rather be playing someone more local to them. It seems a strange way of doing things.

"We play Eastleigh and Dorchester on Tuesday nights. I'm sure both games would attract bigger crowds if they were played on Saturdays. They would have been massive bank holiday games for us and the supporters.

"We'll just to have to get on with it, but it is disappointing."

Whites host Eastleigh on Tuesday, September 12, with Paul Doswell's men welcoming City on Saturday, January 20.

While Eastleigh kick off the new season with an August 12 trip to newly-promoted Bedford Town, Salisbury face a baptism of fire at home to an ambitious Lewes outfit who have already signed eight players this summer and are going part-time next season.

First week's fixtures Saturday, August 12 Basingstoke Town v Thurrock, Bedford Town v Eastleigh, Bognor Regis Town v Bishop's Stortford, Braintree Town v Sutton United, Dorchester Town v Farnborough Town, Eastbourne Borough v Yeading, Fisher Athletic v Newport County, Havant & Waterlooville v Cambridge City,Hayes v Histon, Salisbury City v Lewes, Welling United v Weston-super-Mare.

Monday, August 14: Thurrock v Eastbourne Borough.

Tuesday, August 15: Bishop's Stortford v Fisher Athletic, Cambridge City v Braintree Town, Eastleigh v Hayes, Farnborough Town v Salisbury City, Sutton United v Havant & Waterlooville,Yeading v Bognor Regis Town.

Wednesday, August 16: Histon v Bedford Town, Lewes v Welling United, Newport County v Basingstoke Town, Weston-super-Mare v Dorchester Town.