Axminster Town are entertaining Exmouth Town in a hastily-arranged pre-season friendly on Wednesday night at Tiger Way (7.30pm).

Midweek Herald: Tony Pinder in action for Axminster Town during the pre-season friendly against Bridport at Tiger Way. Picture STEVEN WAKELEY PHOTOGRAPHY.Tony Pinder in action for Axminster Town during the pre-season friendly against Bridport at Tiger Way. Picture STEVEN WAKELEY PHOTOGRAPHY. (Image: Archant)

The Tigers were due to entertain Exwick Villa, but the Exeter-based side pulled out of the fixture and Tigers' joint-boss Josh Stunell was keen for his side to have a match and swiftly arranged for Exmouth Town to provide the opposition.

Exmouth Town, managed by former Torquay United stalwart Kevin Hill, begin their new life as a Western League club this Saturday (August 3) and they have been in sparkling pre-season form with four clean-sheet wins, defeating Sidmouth Town (6-0), Bishops Lydeard (2-0), an Exeter City XI (1-0) and, most recently, seeing off Bodmin Town 4-0 last Saturday.

The Tigers played last season's Western League champions Willand Rovers last Thursday night and, although beaten 7-1, Stunell says there was so much for the Town players to take from the contest.

He said: "For the first third of the game we were arguably the better of the sides and could, indeed perhaps should, have gone in at the break a couple of goals to the good.

"In the second half they [Willand Rovers] showed their undoubted class, but I feel we learnt more from losing 7-1 than we did when winning by the same margin in our previous game at Beer Albion."

The Tigers' goal against Willand was scored by Tyler Wellman.

Stunell said: "In parts we really were superb and it augers well for us that, even without a number of players, we were able to compete as we did against quality opposition.

"We can expect more of the same tonight against Exmouth Town. I don't think anyone would argue against the fact that they are a club going places - and fast - and yet, you know, they are on a road I see no reason that we cannot go down in time. We have enjoyed a good pre-season and the players are all buying into what Johnny [Stunell's fellow joint-boss, Johnny Hurford] is trying to do. The new lads we have recruited have added that extra quality we felt we were perhaps lacking last season and there's little doubt that, in terms of year on year development and growth, we are in a brighter place than we were at this stage of the pre-season 12 months ago."

For the meeting with Exmouth Town, strikers Richard Hebditch and Tony Pinder, amongst a number of regulars who missed the Willand game, are available.

Entry to Tiger Way for the match is £3 for adults with U16s admitted free and kick-off is at 7.30pm. There's a double header of action at Tiger Way this evening for the Town Reserves are taking on Lyme Regis Reserves with that game being played on the second pitch from 6.30pm.

There's another double-header of Tiger Way action on Saturday (August 3) with both the Town first and second teams taking on teams from Newton Abbot 66. The Town league season starts at Sidmouth on Wednesday, August