Barnstaple’s fate is in their hands

Maidenhead head coach David Mobbs-Smith has said ‘no one will get close’ to leaders Barnstaple if they’re able to maintain their current form through to the end of the season.

Mobbs-Smith would love for his side to chase down the leaders and lift the South West Premier trophy in his first season at Braywick, but he acknowledged this week that Barnstaple’s fate is in their own hands.

Maids currently trail Barnstaple by four points while the leaders also have two games in hand over them. However, the leaders have a punishing fixture list stretching ahead of them and Mobbs-Smith believes that could count against them in the coming weeks and months.

In contrast Maids will get two weeks to rest and recuperate after Saturday’s home game with Launceston.

“Barnstaple’s fate is in their own hands,” he said.

“They have a lead and it’s whether they can maintain it. If they can maintain it none of us will get close. Their fate is in their own hands but they have to play Weston twice as well as ourselves. That’s three big games to deal with.”

He added: “Weston and Barnstaple could have a lot of fixtures crowding their calendar and, if there’s more bad weather, it could be a factor.

“Barnstaple I think have to play nine games in a row.

“Can Barnstaple keep their players fit through those consecutive fixtures? That’s a big ask, particularly for some of your senior players who are carrying lifelong injuries.

“For them to turn up every week, training and playing, that’s not easy for your senior players.

“We’ve got a tough game against Launceston but then we have two weeks off.

“All those little niggles that we’ve picked up just since Christmas, we get two weeks off.

“That just helps you get back some of your players, and that might just be a factor. We’ll soon find out. You’ve still got to win your games but every little percentage helps.”