A visit of one of last year’s title contenders is on the horizon for Honiton Town’s first five games of the 2020/21 South West Peninsula League Premier East campaign.

Honiton Town v Holsworthy: Saturday, September 5, 3pm.

The Hippos start the season against a side they enjoyed the double over last campaign.

The two teams met in August at Upcott Field and Honiton boarded the bus back home with all three points having earned a 2-1 win.

The reverse fixture in February was the Hippos’ final home game before the season was cancelled and they won it 2-0 to pile pressure on Holsworthy who were struggling near the bottom of the table at the time.

Honiton will be hoping for a similar result when the two teams meet on the opening day of the 20/21 campaign.

Cullompton Rangers v Honiton Town: Tuesday, September 8, 7.30pm.

Honiton’s first adventure on the road sees them return to a ground where they were beaten 4-1 last year.

The fixture back in September was the second of two consecutive games in which the Hippos conceded four having lost 4-2 to Plymouth Marjon in the Walter C Parsons Cup the game prior.

Honiton were not given a chance to enact revenge against Cullompton with the reverse fixture cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic so will be hoping to do so on September 8.

Honiton Town v Ilfracombe Town: Saturday, September 12, 3pm.

The Hippos’ hardest fixture of the opening five on paper is the visit of Ilfracombe Town to Mountbatten Park.

The Bluebirds spent the majority of the campaign battling with Brixham for top spot before the season’s cancellation.

They were 2-0 winners when Honiton travelled to North Devon and the reverse fixture was never played due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Elmore v Honiton Town: Wednesday, September 16, 7.30pm.

The second away trip of the season should be an entertaining one as Honiton to travel to a side in which they combined to score 13 goals in two games last season.

This fixture last campaign was a 4-4 draw while the game at Mountbatten Park saw the Hippos come out on the right side of a five-goal thriller with a 3-2 win.

The two teams were separated by one place in 12th and 13th before the season’s ending so September 16’s game should be an even affair.

Holsworthy v Honiton Town: Saturday, September 19, 7.30pm.

Honiton’s final game of the opening five will see them play the same team they opened the season against as they travel to Holsworthy.

The 62-mile trip is one of the longest Honiton will travel in the season and the mood before this game will be dictated by the opening day’s encounter.