Western League Premier Division preview – Saturday, January 4

ST BLAZEY will look to bounce back from their Boxing Day derby defeat to St Austell when they make the long trip up to promotion-chasing Portishead Town tomorrow (3pm).

The Green and Blacks head to North Somerset with the hosts two points clear of Brixham at the top of the table, while the Cornishmen are second bottom, five points behind Ilfracombe Town with two games in-hand.

However, with Ilfracombe having the afternoon off, anything gained for Lee Denton’s men will be a bonus.

St Austell put together a fine run of results before Christmas, including seeing off Brixham 3-1, but they were brought down to earth with a bump on New Year’s Day as Saltash United left Poltair Park with a 4-1 win.

But St Austell have rallied up to 29 points following a tough start after winning the SWPL Premier West crown last season, and will hope to push towards mid-table in the coming weeks.

One of the sides just above them – Oldland Abbotonians – provide the opposition tomorrow with the Lillywhites heading up to Bristol.

St Austell sit 16th in the 20-team division, but could end the day as high as 11th if results go in their favour. A win at Oldland, who are 13th, will see them move above the hosts.

Saltash had the perfect festive period with Cornish derby victories over Torpoint and then St Austell, and will seek to make it a hat-trick when they welcome high-flying Clevedon Town to Kimberley Stadium.

The Somerset visitors were one game away from Southern League football in April but lost the play-off final to Falmouth Town, but they are once right in the mix for promotion to Step Four.

They sit fourth on 44 points from just 20 games and are four points behind Portishead with two games in-hand.

Saltash’s unrelenting schedule means they have just 12 of their 38 games left with only four sides having even played 24.

Torpoint Athletic were left frustrated by their New Year’s Day postponement against St Blazey and they have this weekend off before entertaining Paulton Rovers next Saturday.

Fixtures for Saturday, January 4 (3pm): Brislington v Paulton Rovers, Buckland Athletic v Ivybridge Town, Nailsea and Tickenham v Brixham, Oldland Abbotonians v St Austell, Portishead Town v St Blazey, Saltash United v Clevedon Town, Shepton Mallet v Bridgwater United, Street v Wellington.