GALMPTON UNITED joint-player-manager Steve Parkin has welcomed back long-term absentee Chris Hooper ahead of the first of two back-to-back clashes against Exeter Civil Service, writes Andy Phillips.

Frontman Hooper has been ruled out after suffering a stomach hernia, but will be back in the Greens' squad for the home clash on Saturday (3pm) after completing his recovery on the training ground.

But Hooper may find it difficult to break into the team, with a wealth of attacking talent already performing for Parkin and fellow joint-manager Richard Ridley.

The two bosses – who fill full-back berths – have six players who can play up front if needed, including in-form pair Dan Rankin and Alex Bayliss.

Ashley Hoare has also come back from injury to provide a fall-back forward for Galmpton, who were without a game last weekend.

The oversupply of strikers explains Stuart Bowker's move to leaders Liverton United last week, where he has linked up with father Tony and brother Robbie.

Parkin said: "We've got six attacking options without him (Bowker) and you can't guarantee that anyone is going to start.

"Chris Hooper needs to ease himself back in and he knows he is not 100 per cent.

"He could play for the reserves, but we would like him to come into our squad as we only have 13 players at the moment."

Galmpton are five points behind Alphington and Okehampton in the fight for fourth place, but Parkin believes his side just need to focus on their own games.

"The thing for us is that if everybody else is beating each other we just have to keep winning, and if we can keep playing the way we have been then I don't see any reason why that's not possible.

"We're in a good place and hopefully we can push on and get the results which can get us into the top four."

TEIGNMOUTH joint-player-boss Geoff Breslan adds forward John Vile and goalkeeper Darren Shrubb to the squad for the trip to Alphington on Saturday (3pm).

Vile, who can play up front or on the wing, has been out since the start of the season through injury and unavailability. Shrubb, meanwhile, will likely be on the bench this weekend as Nicky Moyse has been in good form since returning from Bovey Tracey.

Only Ian Wilkinson is likely to miss out for Teigns' latest test, having come back into the squad for the victory over Appledore last weekend.

Breslan's side made it three wins from three with a 3-2 win over the Fishermen, which was secured with Steve Mardell's 88th-minute winner.

But Breslan said the game should have been sewn up much earlier, as his side had raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Sam Chapman and Mardell.

Chapman's goal came from the first move of the match – and with Appledore having barely touched the ball.

Breslan said: "The referee said it was 16 seconds, but it felt a lot quicker than that – it felt as if it was five or six seconds."

Mardell's classy volleyed finish from Breslan's lofted pass had made it 2-0, but the North Devon side took advantage of some casual play by Teignmouth to fight back to 2-2 at the break.

"Unfortunately we gave the ball away cheaply twice in our own half," said Breslan.

"I think we started to overplay a little bit and got caught out a couple of times."

He added: "To be fair at the start of the game I would have taken a point, but at half time a few things were said as if we had cleared our lines we would have been 2-0 ahead."

TOTNES and Dartington are hoping to replenish their squad in time for the tough clash at title-chasers Exmouth Town on Saturday (3pm).

Manager John Payne and assistant Sav Savva had to name themselves among the substitutes for the 3-1 home defeat against Newton Abbot Spurs last Saturday – together with Brazilian trialist Marcelo.

Thankfully it was only the South American who was needed on the field for Tots – and he impressed with some neat touches despite the loss.

Savva said that Mark Ashworth and Alex Jones will be back this weekend – Jones only missed last Saturday's game as his car broke down in Exmouth.

Against Spurs, a goal from Adam Dyson in the first minute set the visitors on their way before Ryan Hare converted a Mike Bishop centre to level the scores.

Spurs' Mark Dyson then provided a cross for Tim Porter to tap in, making it 2-1 at half-time. The final goal came just two minutes after the break, with Kris Davis volleying in from the edge of the box after another Mark Dyson centre.

But Savva said: "We had some good chances in the second half, and could have quite easily snatched a draw or even won it."

NEWTON Abbot Spurs will want to avenge a costly defeat at the hands of Budleigh Salterton when the two teams meet again at the Recreation Ground on Saturday (3pm).

Budleigh won the previous clash in North Devon on January 14, ending Spurs' club-record run of away wins (seven).

Paul Dyson's squad got back to winning ways with a win at Totnes last weekend (see above) and can add Mark Smale to their squad this Saturday.

Dyson said: "They [Budleigh] beat us to end our run, and we didn't play well at all.

"Everybody put in a good shift last Saturday and it made the difference – we didn't do that against Budleigh before, and it cost us."

STOKE GABRIEL manager Russell Musker believes his team's title challenge is all but over after their 3-2 away defeat at Sidmouth Town last weekend.

Stoke, who are without a league game this weekend, were twice pegged back at Manstone Lane before a second half penalty gave Sidmouth all three points.

Lloyd Clarke had opened the scoring for the visitors, from a Kevin Wills cross, before Nick Milton put the ball in his own net to make it 1-1.

Wills then scored Stoke's second himself from the penalty spot, before a breakaway goal once again levelled the scores by half time.

Despite Stoke pushing forward for a winner, it was Sidmouth who went ahead – once again breaking away and winning the crucial spot kick.

Not even the sending off of a Town player was able to help Russell Musker's side earn something from the game, which leaves them nine points behind leaders Liverton United.

"We were just awful again," said Musker. "It's the same problems – we can't defend. They only had about three chances and scored three goals. It's the story of our season."

Karl Baker was the only absentee for Stoke, who have suffered with injury problems and a high player turnover rate this season.

Musker admitted his team now have little chance of winning the title, but vowed to maintain pushing until it was 'mathematically impossible'.

He added: "It's going to be difficult now as Liverton are not dropping points. I think any chance we had has slipped away, but we won't concede until it's mathematically impossible."

LIVERTON UNITED have a weekend off knowing they cannot be overtaken at the top of the table after a 4-0 win over Axminster Town last weekend.

Goals from Robbie Bowker (2), Tom Sercombe and Shane Shobbrook put United on 52 points, and with a six-point lead over chasers Exmouth Town.

Joint-boss Tony Bowker has since secured the signing of his son Stuart from Galmpton United to further strengthen Liverton's squad.

Liam Jones also made his first appearance since re-signing from Bovey Tracey last weekend, while Bowker said they were hoping to attract a few more spectators.

He said: "We need a few more people through the gate – I know we were playing the bottom of the league side, but there were only about 15-20 people there, which was a shame as we played some good stuff – it's not kick-and-rush."