NEWTON Abbot Spurs have been afforded plenty of time to prepare for their must-see clash at The Rec tomorrow, following defeat to local rivals Bovey Tracey AFC 10 days ago.

Bovey returned to the SW Peninsula League summit with that victory and the team to give way, Bridport FC, are the visitors for Spurs on Saturday, October 25.

Losing home and away to the Moorlanders may have dampened Spurs’ spirits but when you look at the bigger picture, they sit third in the table with eight wins from 11 and have had a successful campaign to date otherwise.

Both of these teams were there or thereabouts last season, Spurs finishing as runners-up to Sidmouth Town and Bridport on their coattails in third.

The Dorset-based club got the better of this fixture in 2024/25, securing four points, and so this clash is finely poised.

Bovey are also in action on home soil, welcoming ninth-placed Ilfracombe Town to the Western Counties Roofing Ground.

Since that derby win, Bovey have moved onto the next stage of the FA Vase, winning 1-0 away at Western League Division One outfit Radstock Town courtesy of a customary Ollie Aplin strike.

Ben Gerring’s men are firing on all cylinders, after all they’ve played 16 games in all competitions thus far and they’re yet to taste defeat, even winning on penalties in two different cup competitions.

Win again tomorrow and Bovey know they’ll widen the gap to at least one of their closest challengers.

Rounding out the South Devon trio at this level and Teignmouth AFC return to Coombe Valley, where their opponents will be Crediton United.

Crediton haven’t played since they were eliminated from the WCP League Cup by Newton Spurs two weeks ago, and their recent form has been patchy at best.

They went on a four-game winning streak from mid-August to early September but have won just one of five since then. Granted, three were cup games, one against Street FC of the Western Premier, yet they did concede four away goals twice in a row.

Teignmouth meanwhile have found far more joy on their travels, winning at Bishops Lydeard and Torrington AFC in the last month, only to fall short when Honiton Town and Middlezoy Rovers came to town.

A burst of form in front of their own fans would help them truly leave the relegation zone in the dust.

Wins against Clevedon Town and Saltash United have refocused Buckland Athletic’s efforts to breach the top five in the Western League and whilst they didn’t make it easy, they advanced beyond Bishops Lydeard in the Vase too.

Pulling off these big results has to be paired with getting the job done against the sides at the other end of the table and Matt Cusack will be hoping that’s the case away at Brislington FC tomorrow.

Brislington, with a record of five wins, one draw and 10 defeats, sit 16th, 11 points behind sixth-placed Buckland.

With the team above them, Sidmouth Town, visiting current leaders Torpoint Athletic, the Bucks know that a victory here could well orchestrate their return into the playoff positions for the time being.

The games are coming thick and fast for them as well as Buckland’s Les Phillips Cup meeting with Bridgwater United, originally scheduled for Wednesday 22, has been rearranged for Wednesday 29.

Finally, there are some eye-catching fixtures taking place in the South Devon Football League tomorrow.

In the Premier Division, there is a local clash between Kingsteignton Athletic and Newton 66 whilst Newton Abbot Spurs 2nd XI make the short trip to Kate Brook, the home of Chudleigh Athletic.

All-South Devon meetings continue in Division One with Liverton United hosting Watts Blake Bearne and Bovey Tracey 2nd XI playing away against Spurs 3rd XI.