ST AUSTELL’S first season at Step Five in the Western League Premier Division gets underway on Saturday when they welcome Somerset side Street (3pm).

The Lillywhites had to put together a near perfect campaign to edge past Liskeard Athletic to claim the SWPL Premier West crown, and have made a series of impressive signings as they look to take that momentum into the league above.

Midfielders Callum Watson and Max Gilbert, wideman Teigan Rosenquest and prolific frontman Curtis Damerell should all excel in the division, while the nucleus of last year’s squad remain intact.

Elsewhere in the division, neighbours St Blazey, who they travel to on Boxing Day and welcome on Good Friday (April 18), have a trip up to Bristol to take on newly-promoted Brislington, while the other two Cornish sides in the division, Saltash United and Torpoint, who also have a new look about them and are set for their third successive seasons in the division, are also in action on the opening day.

Saltash entertain Brixham at the Kimberley Stadium, while close by at The Mill, The Point host Oldland Abbotonians who survived by the skin of their teeth last year.

The Ashes and The Point are also set for their derbies on December 26 and April 18, the first of which is at Saltash.

While St Austell have the first round of midweek fixtures off, the other four are in action, one of which sees St Blazey host Saltash on Wednesday night (July 31, 7.30pm).

The night before sees Torpoint entertain Brixham.

With the FA Cup scheduled for August 3, the next round of fixtures are a week later.

St Austell’s first away outing sees them go to Brislington, while Torpoint are also near Bristol as they visit promoted Portishead.

Saltash entertain Shepton Mallet from Somerset, while St Blazey entertain Street.

St Austell’s first floodlit outing at Step Five sees them entertain Torpoint on Tuesday, August 13 (7.30pm), while on the same evening St Blazey visit SWPL Premier East champions Ivybridge and Saltash host Buckland Athletic who have signed prolific striker Ryan Richards from Torpoint.

Saltash have a cross Tamar derby at Ivybridge on Saturday, August 17, at the same time St Blazey and Torpoint welcome Oldland and Shepton.

There are midweek fixtures up until the middle of October with clubs then reverting to one game a week until the spring.

It means a demanding schedule with clubs often playing twice a week for that period, and will leave soon leave them knowing what area of the league they are likely to be competing in.

Besides the derbies between Saltash and Torpoint and St Blazey and St Austell, fans will also be eager to know when the other Cornish derbies are, particularly after losing both Helston Athletic and Falmouth Town to the Southern League after fabulous promotions.

Saltash host St Blazey on September 24 and St Austell on Easter Monday (April 21) with the Ashes going to Blazey on July 31 as already mentioned and St Austell on New Year’s Day (3pm).

St Austell welcome Torpoint on Tuesday, August 13 before going to The Mill on March 22 (3pm).

St Blazey’s clashes with Torpoint are set for Easter Monday (April 21) with a 3pm kick-off at Blaise Park, while they go to the Amber and Blacks on New Year’s Day.

While it is unlikely that any of the Cornish clubs will do a Helston or a Falmouth and secure their first ever promotions to Step Four, all four look set for another season of progression and to enjoy what is set to be another exciting campaign.