FORMER Hampton & Richmond Borough striker Richard Pacquette was in unchartered territory last season and he is out to prove Beavers boss Alan Dowson wrong this time around.

The 33-year-old left the Beveree in the summer after spending much of last season’s Ryman Premier Division title-winning campaign on the bench.

It was the first time the former Sutton United striker had dropped down to play in the third tier of English non-league football.

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Tough tackler: Hampton centre back Jay Gasson gets stuck in during Tuesday's Ryman League Charity Shield win on Tuesday, felling Kingstonian's Saidoh Khan

But Pacquette, who has found the net for new club Met Police during preseason, barely got a chance to prove his worth behind in-form striker Nicke Kabamba et al.

“Unfortunately for me, Alan is the sort of manager who keeps his team the same when it is doing well,” he said.

“It was frustrating, but I have no complaints. Charlie Moone had the same problem and he was still scoring goals. I’m not used to being a sub. That is just the way Alan is.”

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Feeling the heat: Charlie Ten-Grotenhuis comes under pressure from Kingstonian's AFC Wimbledon loanee Danny Gallagher in Tuesday's Charity Shield clash

He added: “I still know where the back of the net is and with the squad we have – playing the style of football it is – we should hopefully make the play-offs this year.”

Kabamba proved he is Hampton’s number one marksman on Tuesday when his first-half goal secured the Ryman League Charity Shield with a 1-0 win over Kingstonian.

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Solid at the back: Hampton defender Michael Kamara gets to grips with Kingstonian's Charlie Knight at the Beveree on Tuesday

Hampton start their National League South campaign at Bishop's Stortford tomorrow having lost only two of their eight pre-season matches.