BRIGHTLINGSEA Regent manager James Webster believes home form will be pivotal to his side's survival chances this season - and arguably more important than ever before.

The newly-promoted R's began their Bostik League premier division campaign with an encouraging 1-1 draw at Tooting and Mitcham on Saturday.

Now they are preparing for their opening home game, when Leiston visit the Taydal Stadium tonight (kick-off 7.45pm).

Regent also have early-season home fixtures against the likes of Hendon, Enfield Town and Kingstonian before the middle of September.

And Webster believes their form on Tendring soil is going to be a "massive".

"If anything, it's more important at this level than lower down the pyramid," he told the Gazette.

"We've got some really long journeys and that could present problems in terms of unavailability, on occasions.

"But there are other factors like knowing less about the opposition, because we're so spread out geographically.

"In the league below, you tend to know lots about all the teams because you're closer, you know opposition players and you read what's going on in the local papers and on Twitter.

"Now we'll go into many of our games not knowing much about the team we're playing.

"At a higher level, you get bigger crowds and that will be new for our players.

"But it works both ways and teams won't want to come here.

"To them, we're in the middle of nowhere and out in the sticks.

"We have to capitalise on that, start well and be positive.

"People won't know our club, players and tactics and we have to use that to our advantage. That's going to be very important."

Webster admits it will take time for his side to find their feet in the premier division, having been promoted as last season's division north champions.

And he knows they face a tough task tonight against a Leiston side that finished seventh last season, largely thanks to the goal-scoring heroics of Matthew Blake, who finished with 29.

Niko Muir-Merchant also weighed in with 18 goals.

"Leiston are big hitters in the league," he said.

"They had last year's top scorer and they've strengthened over the summer.

"But we're really looking forward to it.

"We're obviously finding our feet at this level and until we get a few games into the season, it's difficult to know what to expect.

"We'll have a much better idea when we're a couple of months in but, for now, we need to try and start positively and get some points on the board."

Striker Billy Hunt returns to the squad tonight, having been unavailable due to a family wedding on Saturday.