Ambitious Forton are on the front foot

Promoted to the Premier Division for the first time in their 68-year history, they are enjoying mixing it with the competition's big boys, and are determined to defy their underdog status.

The club are still riding a wave that stems back two summers, where they were lent a helping hand by NatWest's CricketForce, a grassroots voluntary initiative to support local clubs as the season looms.

Forton were one of the flag-bearers in 2014 and were even visited by former England seamer Matthew Hoggard, current women's star Danielle Wyatt and ex- England skipper Mike Gatting.

The latter pitched in alongside an army of volunteers in a bid to boost the club's fortunes.

On the back of that, Sport England chipped in last October as they funded more than £66,000 towards the 'modernisation' of the club's pavilion.

Committee member Chris Hughes said: "These are really exciting times for our club, at the moment.

"We began building from the summer of 2014 and it felt like a base to go and achieve something.

"There were some good years and they resulted in promotion to the top tier for our first-ever time.

"The Cricket Force really brought our club together, which is not something you'd necessarily expect, so it was really good in that sense.

"We're a very close-knit club, but it also brought some people out of the woodwork and got them involved with us. You always need volunteers and every person helps.

"You always benefit from having people on-board, no matter what they do."

Forton recently secured a deal with Whitchurch-based Ornua Ingredients UK, who will be the first-team's match ball sponsors for the 2016 season.

Current skipper Matt Sayers – who is playing in his 13th season for the villagers – is the man tasked with leading an inexperienced side through their debut Premier Division campaign.

Three games into the season and the youngsters are yet to taste victory. But undeterred, they are determined to hold their own.

They believe that the home-grown talent produced through the club is another feather in their cap.

Hughes added: "We have guys who have been playing in our first team for a long time now and they're beginning to wind down by helping the kids in the seconds.

"Most of our first-team are players that we have nurtured through the club and that's how we are. Almost all of them are products of our junior coaching."

Forton have their stalwarts, secretary Keith Williams was awarded a lifetime achievement award at the Player of the Season awards in March.

But Hughes is just one of a younger generation of committee members excited at the prospect of leading the club into a bright new dawn.

He added: "It's nice to have younger guys involved in the club – I'd probably count myself in that. You want progression and succession.

"Newport are down the road and I suppose have always set the local standard. Hopefully, we can start to change that."

The Eccleshall Road club have three senior sides – with a second team in the Reserve Division Two and third in the Stone and District Cricket League South (B) Division.

They also boast of a junior set-up, including teams from under-11s up to under-16s. Forton ladies side feature in the WML Division 4N.

Hughes said: "We got a ladies side about 10 years ago and it was a great addition. My mum Helen used to captain them and got involved through me.

"Having a team like that definitely helped the club as a whole – it attracted new members and gives everyone a boost."