Leaders Tavistock still have work to do

IT HAS certainly been a tumultuous week in the Western League Premier Division with an unlikely twist in the race for the title.

Second-placed Mousehole, four points behind leaders Tavistock, saw their game against Keynsham Town postponed on Tuesday night because the opposition were unable to raise a team for the near 400-mile, eight hour round trip.

The League took a dim view on their actions, which understandably frustrated both Tavistock and thirdplaced Exmouth Town, who are also in title contention and sit six points behind Stuart Henderson’s Lambs.

This weekend, all three are in action again with Exmouth hosting fourth-placed Bridgwater Town, Mousehole heading to 14th-placed Wellington and Tavistock at midtable Bitton in what is arguably the biggest game in the club’s history, given what is at stake.

“It’s going to be tough and every game is like a Cup Final for us now,” Henderson said. “We just have to go up there and give the best account of ourselves.

“It is difficult to know how to prep for it because the lads and you don’t want to over egg it because naturally there are going to be some nerves – and you don’t want to make them more nervous than they already are but we will be doing everything we can to get the three points.

“We haven’t played up there in the league since we have been in the Western League, but we went up there in the FA Cup and on the day, we were beaten quite heavily, so this will be the first time in the league.

“We will be going for the win and if we got a draw, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. But we want the three points.”

Tavistock have never been in the Southern League since their formation in 1888 and with so few games to go now, the importance of the game is not lost on Henderson.

“Yeah you are right and I am sure that the lads know it,” Henderson added. “They are all up for it, the atmosphere in the camp is really good and it is all about doing it on the pitch.

“Obviously we all want to get to the Southern League, but I am sure the players and management from Mousehole and Exmouth are saying exactly the same.”

Fifth-placed Saltash saw their chances of winning the league ended with a 4-1 defeat at Tavistock last week, but they will want to finish as high as they can and can pull away from sixth-placed Shepton Mallet with a win at Kimberley Stadium.

With Bridport relegated, Ashton & Backwell need points pretty quickly to stand any chance of survival and they head to Millbrook this afternoon, who are sitting pretty in midtable with nothing but pride to play for.

Helston Athletic, fresh from a 1-0 win over Exmouth in the Les Phillips Cup on Wednesday, welcome Ilfracombe Town to Kellaway Park, while Buckland Athletic are at home to Street.