Cup outing of huge significance to Greens' season, says Parkin

GALMPTON UNITED joint-manager Steve Parkin has admitted his side's dire league form makes this Saturday's cup tie at Topsham Town (2pm) their most important game of the season so far.

The greens suffered another ignominious defeat last weekend, managing to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory when they led 2-0 at half-time at home to Budleigh Salterton.

Dan Rankin and Steven Bowker had put them into a comfortable position at the break only for Budleigh to find the net five times in the second half, making Alex Bayliss' late goal not even worthy of consolation status.

Adding injury to insult, Jamie Bonner and Steven Bowker both limped off for Galmpton, with wide men Matt Barkwell and Reece Moseley having to switch to central midfield – leaving the hosts vulnerable to the counter-attack.

Parkin said their dismal form in the league makes a cup run even more important for the club, which had high hopes at the start of the season.

"The one thing we need is a cup run as if we went out of the cup this weekend it would be a catastrophe.

"We need it just to keep our season alive.

"It's important that we get a run going, so Saturday becomes more important than any game of the season so far.

"It [the Devon Premier Cup] is a competition that someone at this level usually wins, so it's really important just to keep people interested."

Kevin Wills, who missed last Saturday's clash with injury, is expected to return, though Parkin is not short of attacking options with Rankin and Bayliss both in good form.

"It's not that end of the pitch that we seem to be having a problem – it's stopping goals from going in.

"It's got to that point where people need to stand up and be counted."

NEWTON Abbot Spurs boss Paul Dyson believes his side have found the winning formula as they head into a Devon Premier Cup first round clash this weekend.

Spurs face North Devon League outfit Barnstaple AAC at The Rec on Saturday (2pm) having gone top of Division One East last weekend.

A deflected Tom Sercombe goal on the hour mark was all it took to take the three points against bottom side Sidmouth Town, while previous leaders Teignmouth were on the end of a surprise 3-1 loss against Crediton United.

Dyson said the day of shock results – which also included defeats for Stoke Gabriel and Galmpton United – proved the competitiveness of the division this season.

"It was a funny series of results and just shows that everyone can beat everyone else," he said.

"Sidmouth are bottom of the table and looking like the whipping boys, but I thought they were quite decent and I'm not quite sure why they're bottom. They certainly didn't play like they were expecting a hammering."

He added: "The key thing for me is that it wasn't that long ago that I was saying that we were playing well in spells without winning, but now it seems the opposite, and that we're able to win games without having to play that well."

Midfielders Marc Revell and Mark Dyson, plus defender Tom Dare, are all returning to the Spurs squad this weekend. Revell would be a straight swap for either James Clarke or Tim Porter, who are missing this weekend, while full-back Joe Andrews is also missing. Jake Chisholm is still with Devon U18s.

Dyson Snr said mid-table outfit Barnstaple were not expected to provide a big test of his side, but added there could be no complacency.

"I said a couple of weeks ago that if we could get to Christmas still being in both cup competitions and in the top four in the league then it would be great.

"If someone offered me that right now I would certainly take it."

TOTNES and Dartington boss Sav Savva admits he knows little about his opponents in this weekend's Devon Premier Cup first round, but said he will be solely focusing on his own team.

Tots are hosting Chaddlewood Miners on Saturday (2pm) on the back of a defeat which Savva believes was more than a little unjust.

John Rimmer scored two quick goals to help Totnes fight back from 2-0 down at Appledore last Saturday to make it 2-2 going into the final half hour.

But a controversial penalty decision meant it was the hosts who took all three points after the spot-kick made it 3-2 to the Fishermen.

"We played really well, and I don't say this often, but we were robbed by the referee and not by our opponents," said Savva.

"He gave a penalty in the last five minutes after what everyone else on the pitch thought was a fair tackle. No one on their team even appealed for a penalty, but he gave it anyway. It was a decision that he instigated and not them.

"Within two minutes he had booked the same guy for diving, perhaps because he realised he made a mistake with the penalty."

A mixture of injury and unavailability meant Tots were without three players last weekend – top scorer Jamie Chamberlain, Jack Thomas and Jamie Rose. All three should be available this weekend.

TEIGNMOUTH will welcome the chance to dive into cup action this weekend after suffering a surprise league defeat last Saturday.

Teigns welcome South Devon League side Staverton and Landscove to Coombe Valley on Saturday (2pm) in the Devon Premier Cup first round.

They are likely to be fired up after being knocked off the top of Division One East last weekend, suffering a 3-1 defeat against Crediton United.

STOKE GABRIEL are hoping to bounce back from last weekend's defeat when they host Elburton Villa Reserves in the Devon Premier Cup first round (2pm).

The Railwaymen were on the wrong end of a seven-goal thriller at Broadley Lane last Saturday, losing out to Exmouth Town.