KEVIN Amankwaah is ready to finally banish the nightmare of last year’s opening day horror show, by getting Swindon’s League One campaign off to a winning start this weekend.

Twelve months ago Town kicked off the 2009/10 season away at Gillingham, but came back with their tails firmly between their legs, having been on the wrong end of a 5-0 thumping.

It was an afternoon to forget for everyone involved at the Priestfield Stadium, including Amankwaah - who spent most of the game in an unfamiliar right-wing role.

But the full-back is confident he and his teammates can secure three early points tomorrow at the expense of big-spending Brighton.

“We didn’t have the best of starts last season - Gillingham totally destroyed us,” Amankwaah told the Advertiser.

“We just didn’t hit the ground running.

“We didn’t play well at all on the day, but as a team now we are more confident than we were at this point last year.

“So hopefully we can get that first win straight away.

“It’s nice to kick off with a winnable home game and that’s what Brighton is. Any home game we think is winnable to us.

“The onus is on us in front of our own fans and we’ll enjoy that. Hopefully we can get those three points.”

Amankwaah finds his right-back spot under intense pressure following the signing of Celtic youngster Paul Caddis this week, and the former Bristol City man knows his place is far from guaranteed.

But he believes having a rival breathing down his neck can only make him a better player, and therefore benefit the team’s performance.

“The manager has made some really good signings,” said Amankwaah. “Competition for places is really big now, so nobody can rest on their laurels and we’ve all got to perform to the best of our abilities.

“If selected, it will be great, but if not then we have to work really hard to get in the team.

“It’s not an issue (that manager Danny Wilson has brought in a right-back).

“It’s always good to have that competition. Cadds is a good player who has come from Celtic and it’s going to be a hard decision for the manager.

“As a player you don’t want to be complacent in your position.

“The manager may see that in your game and if one isn’t performing then he can bring the other in.

“The new season has come around quickly.

“We haven’t had long off, but we’ve done a good pre-season and hopefully we can kick off from where we finished before the play-off final.

“We want to hit the ground running and be there or thereabouts from the start this year.”