Western League Premier Division preview – Saturday, February 14
TORPOINT Athletic will end the day top of the table if they can see off Bridgwater United tomorrow at The Mill (3pm).
The Point – who are two points behind leaders Clevedon Town with four games in-hand following their victory over the Seasiders 13 days ago, have the first of those tomorrow as the Somerset side have the weekend off.
Torpoint welcome welcome a Bridgwater side who are under new management in former boss Dave Pearse. He had been on the coaching staff at Southern League Division One South outfit Exmouth Town.
The Robins are the only team to have beaten Torpoint in 21 league outings, giving the Cornishmen even more motivation to continue their unbeaten home record at The Mill.
Newquay produced – in the words of boss Shaun Middleton – an ‘absolutely dreadful performance’ in last weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Buckland Athletic in the race for the play-offs.
The Bucks ran out comfortable 2-0 victors at Mount Wise to move six points clear of the Cornish outfit in the battle to finish in the top-five, however Newquay still have three games in-hand.
Middleton promised changes at Brislington this Saturday, and with new recruit Matt Searle having come off the bench last weekend, he could be used from the start, while it remains to be seen if key attackers Rhys Simmonds and Jack Bray-Evans are involved having missed the last two matches.
They head to Bristol to face a Brislington side who sit 17th in the table with just five wins all season.
Helston Athletic haven’t played since their 2-1 victory over Saltash United back in January and head to East Devon to tackle Sidmouth Town.
The Vikings are fourth in their first season since promotion, one clear of Buckland with both sides having 11 games left.
But with Barnstaple seven behind with six games in-hand and Newquay seven adrift with three fixtures outstanding, Helston will hope they can capitalise on the home side’s need to win.
For the 11th-placed Blues, they are nicely in mid-table following a summer rebuild and will look to get into the top 10 and more over the final dozen games.
Saltash’s eight-match winless run has given them a mountain to climb in their quest for the play-offs, sitting seven adrift of Buckland with only one game in-hand.
However, if Lee Britchford’s men can rekindle their form from earlier in the season, there is no reason why they can’t sneak their way back in.
To do so they will need to win several games in succession, starting with a trip to 15th-placed Shepton Mallet who have little to play for bar pride.
St Blazey’s new manager Dan Hart has to wait another week for his first league game in charge following last weekend’s postponement as they have the day off, while St Austell have - as widely reported in recent days - been thrown out of the league as they look to secure their long-term future.
Fixtures (3pm): Barnstaple Town v Oldland Abbotonians, Brislington v Newquay, Shepton Mallet v Saltash United, Sidmouth Town v Helston Athletic, Torpoint Athletic v Bridgwater United, Wellington v Bradford Town.





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