Walton Casuals boss Spencer Collins reckons he has unearthed some rough diamonds after raiding the Combined Counties League for a trio of signings this week.

Collins has tempted Epsom & Ewell’s Kyle Hough, Chertsey Town’s full-back Mark Warner and Chessington & Hook centre-half Tony Houghton to the Waterside as the Stags look to improve on last season’s dismal Ryman Division One South campaign.

And Collins admits he has had to produce some wheeling and dealing to boost the ranks.

He said: “There has been no change in our budget this season so there has been a lot of hard work to get new players in.

“We have not got the finances to look at levels above us - we have to work with what we have got.

“But there are a lot of good players in the Combined Counties League and I am sure these guys can make the step up.”

Former Carshalton Athletic and Molesey striker James Rose is also on his way to Walton, with Nick Burton, Jack Francis and Michael Barima exiting.

And Collins can now turn his attentions to a testing pre-season schedule, which sees the Stags play seven games in the next two weeks.

Up this Saturday is a clash with Molesey as part of the annual Mick Burgess memorial tournament, and the Walton boss admits he will need the games to establish some sort of pattern.

Collins added: “We have got a packed schedule as the players will need games to get used to both each other and the style we want to play.

“But that is the same for every level of football and the players that have come in are players that I wanted so I have no problem with that.”