BRAINTREE Town will open their new era with a tough-looking first month of Vanarama National League South action.

The Iron's first game under the managerial tenure of Glen Driver and their first fixture back in the Vanarama National League South will start on Saturday, August 3 with a trip to the West Country to face a Bath City side that finished in the top five in last year's table.

Bath lost just five of their 21 home games last season and the Romans were knocked out of the National League South play-offs after a 3-1 defeat by Wealdstone, while it will be the iron's first outing since their relegation from the National League's top-flight last season.

Following their Saturday opener, Braintree's tough start then continues on Tuesday, August 6, when their first home game will be an Essex derby against near neighbours Billericay Town and they are back at home on Saturday, August 10, when another of last year's play-off sides - Wealdstone - will be at Cressing Road.

A hectic opening period then continues with Driver taking his team for a mid-week trip to St Albans City on August 13 and Eastbourne Borough head to Cressing Road on Saturday, August 17.

There will then be a chance to catch breath before the opening month is rounded off with a trip to Dartford on August 24 and the August Bank Holiday Monday will see a home encounter with newly-promoted Dorking Wanderers.

This year's festive fare will see a renewing of old rivalries, with Chelmsford City providing the opposition on Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

Braintree will head to the Melbourne Stadium to face their old foes on Boxing Day, before they welcome in 2020 with a home game against the Clarets on January 1.

Sandwiched between the two games against Chelmsford is a home game against another of the Iron's Essex rivals - Concord Rangers - on Saturday, December 28.

Good Friday action this year will see a home game against Dartford, with a trip to Dorking Wanderers on Easter Monday and Braintree will close out the regular season on April 25 at Eastbourne Borough.

Other key dates for Iron fans include September 3 when their team head to Concord Rangers, on October 19 they will come up against former manager Hakan Hayrettin's Maidstone United side at Cressing Road, with the return coming on February 8 in Kent and they will head to Billericay for the final Essex derby on March 7.