We take a look at local football teams and the action they face on the third Saturday of October

All three East Devon-based clubs playing in the South West Peninsula League Premier East this Saturday (October 17) face tough tasks.

Indeed, the three local teams all travel and each face a home side sitting in the top five of the division!

Honiton Town, who were edged out 2-1 at home by Elmore in midweek and are without a win in three outings, head for fifth placed Dartmouth who are unbeaten in five games since a 7-0 home reversal at the hands of Brixham.

So far in October, Dartmouth have won at Torrington (4-2) and seen off visiting Holsworthy (3-0) while they have drawn 2-2 at home to Elburton Villa and, last time out, shared four goals with hosts Plymouth Marjon on Tuesday night.

Axminster Town, who were 15-0 Wednesday night winners over hapless – but battling – Stoke Gabriel, travel to face third-in-the-table Torrington. The North Devon side are unbeaten in seven games since their last defeat – a 2-1 loss at Brixham.

That midweek mauling at Tiger Way was the Tigers’ first league success in five as they had last won on a Monday night visit to Crediton United (3-2) since when they had lost four successive league games – and an FA Vase tie.

Sidmouth Town travel to second placed Ivybridge Town. The Bridgers are one of the ‘form sides’ in the section for they have won their last eight league outings and indeed, their only defeat in the last nine matches was an FA vase loss to Cheddar. Ivybridge Town have won their last five home games on the spin, scoring 19 goals and conceding just two. The Vikings have not played for 18 days owing to a couple of match postponements. They were last in action on September 30, when Torridgeside departed Manstone Lane having won 6-2.

How the East Devon three have fared in recent visits to their Saturday hosts!

Honiton Town at Dartmouth in recent seasons

2019/20 The game at Dartmouth was played in the first month of the season with the game in South Devon ending 1-1.

2018/19 While Honiton Town were in the SWP League Eastern Division, Dartmouth were a SWP League Premier Division outfit.

2017/18 Honiton Town were playing in the SWP League Eastern Division while Dartmouth were playing their football in the South Devon League.

Axminster Town at Torridgeside in each of the last four seasons

2019/20 The game was one of those set to be played in the final two months of a season brought to a premature end by Covid-19.

2018/19 The Tigers were beaten 3-2

2017/18 The Tigers were again edged out I a close encounter, this one seeing them beaten 5-4.

2016/17 This season was the last time that the Tigers got a point on their visit to Torridgeside with the October 15, 2106 meeting in North Devon ending 2-2.

Sidmouth Town at Ivybridge Town in recent seasons

2019/20 The game at Ivybridge was played on October 12 2019 and it ended in a 3-1 win for the home team.

Prior to the 2019/20 season, Ivybridge were in the SWP League premier Division while Sidmouth Town played in the SWP League Eastern Division

Ottery St Mary take their Scott Richards Solicitors Devon League South & West table-topping status to Lakeside as they seek to continue their season-long unbeaten record.

The Otters have yet to concede an away goal in the league this season and venture to South Devon proudly the fact that they have not conceded a goal in the last 347 minutes that they have been on the pitch!

The last time the Otters’ rear-guard was breached was in the 13th minute of the September 26 home game against Plymouth Argyle FITC XI.

Since then they have claimed three clean sheet successes and so, 13 minutes into the game at Lakeside on Saturday, the Otters will hit the six-hour mark in terms of a continued ‘shut out’ of their goal!

Budleigh Salterton are in away Scott Richards Solicitors Devon North & East League action with a visit to Liverton.

The South Devon men are yet to win a league game having drawn two and lost three of their five early season matches and that all leaves them sitting 12th in the North & East table.

Budleigh go into the game sitting four places better off and they travel to Liverton looking to make it three on the trot without defeat after their splendid 2-2 draw at Exwick Villa last Saturday which followed in the 4-1 home win over Heavitree United in their last Greenway Lane outing.

In terms of the Joma Devon & Exeter League action on the third Saturday of October, top billing, in East Devon terms, goes to the three Premier East games being played in the area with Beer Albion hosting Whipton & Pinhoe, Colyton entertaining Lyme Regis and top-of-the-table Feniton have home advantage for their game against Chard Town Reserves.

There’s no action for Seaton Town as their game at Upottery is one of two top flight matches that have been postponed – the other being the Sidmouth Town Reserves home meeting with University.

There’s plenty of local interest in Division One East with a local derby at East Budleigh where Otterton are the visitors. Honiton Town entertain Dunkeswell Rovers, while Exmouth Spartans entertain Teignmouth, Lyme Regis host Exmouth Rovers and Lympstone, still seeking their first point of the season, take on a Tipton St John yet to be beaten!

In Division Two East, the ‘local eye-catcher’ is the Millwey Rise versus Feniton Reserves meeting at Cloakham while Cranbrook are thre visitors to Sidmouth Town thirds. There’s a couple of postponements in this division with the games at Axminster Town (Reserves v Axmouth United) and Pinhoe (v Colyton Reserves) both off.

There’s Division Three East local derby action with Awliscombe United hosting Farway and, in Division Four East, Ottery Development XI host HT Dons while Seaton Town Reserves entertain Otterton Reserves, with this game starting at 2.15.

For kick-off times, check out the Joma Devon & Exeter League website at www.defleague.co.uk