LIVERTON UNITED joint-manager Tony Bowker believes the Division One East title is 'theirs for the taking' as they prepare for a trip to Axminster Town on Saturday (2.15pm).

Bowker and fellow joint-manager Alan Hext saw their side take all three points from their top-of-the-table clash at Exmouth Town last weekend.

Glen Palmer headed Liverton's winner after the Town defence failed to deal with a Shane Shobbrook set piece, while Simon Lewcock and Tom Sercombe also had good chances.

The result was only secured after Liverton's Simon Lawton made a goalline clearance in the dying moments.

The win puts Liverton three points clear at the top with a game in hand on second-placed Town. Title rivals Stoke Gabriel are three points further back.

Bowker said: "The league is ours for the taking now – on paper, we've got Crediton United and Alphington which are difficult games, but the rest we should be winning.

"The league won't be won solely on that result, but it's a big win for us."

He added: "But we can't rest on our laurels, we've got to go out in every game with the same attitude as we had last weekend.

"We lost to Exeter University two weeks ago, so we've got to be on our toes."

With the club having already announced their intention to apply for a spot in the Premier Division next season, Bowker and Hext have already started to look at strengthening their squad even further.

They have re-signed midfielder Liam Jones from Bovey Tracey and are on the verge of signing another striker from a fellow Division One East club.

Bowker said a strong squad would also help them deal with a flurry of fixtures remaining this season, as the team are still in the Throgmorton Cup and Devon Premier Cup.

Liverton have been drawn at home to Liskeard Athletic in the quarter-finals of the Throgmorton Cup – to be played on Saturday, March 3.

Before that, Liverton face Newtown in the last eight of the Devon Premier Cup – a competition they won last year.

Bowker said Liskeard wouldn't frighten his players, who have already knocked out Bovey Tracey and Tavistock in previous rounds.

He said: "I went to watch Liskeard against Exmouth last week and they (Liskeard) are a good side, but they are no better than Tavistock.

"People might say we've been lucky with the draw, but we've had Premier Division sides for three rounds now, so if we do win it we will have done it the hard way.

"We're still going on all fronts, and fair play to the players, they are the ones who have to do it on the pitch.

"We will need all the players we've got as we have got a lot of games coming up."

NEWTON Abbot Spurs make the short trip to Totnes and Dartington in a Division One East derby clash on Saturday (2.15pm).

Spurs were without a game last Saturday, having seen their club-record away run end at Budleigh Salterton the previous weekend. But Spurs manager Paul Dyson has a full-strength squad for the clash and will want to start his side off on another winning stretch.

He said: "I would like to think that the run we've been on wasn't a one-off.

"But we will have to play well to beat Totnes because they are always energetic and have a good workrate. We will have to match that if we want to do well."

Totnes are also aiming to bounce back this weekend, having lost by the odd goal in three to Alphington last Saturday.

STOKE GABRIEL manager Russell Musker can welcome back four key players as his side get back to league action at home to Sidmouth Town on Saturday (2.15pm).

Musker's side crashed out of the Throgmorton Cup last weekend, losing 2-0 at Penzance in a third-round tie.

Newly-signed veteran midfielder Ian Down was unable to feature for Stoke as he was cup-tied, while Karl Baker was injured and there were suspensions for Lloyd Clarke and Clay Bond.

All four should be back this weekend, with Baker's injury the only potential sticking point.

Musker is on a continued search for new faces with Simon Armstrong out for the season through injury, and Lucas Burgess and Darren Vicary having left.

The depleted Stoke squad struggled to put up enough of a fight at Penzance according to Musker.

"In the end they had quite a few chances and we just didn't look like scoring," he said.

"I don't like to use excuses but I had nine players out who I could have picked at the start of the month."

"We still had players on the pitch who could have won the game, but we couldn't pass the ball 10 yards."

TEIGNMOUTH joint-boss Geoff Breslan wants his side to maintain their form on the road when they travel to Appledore on Saturday (2.15pm).

Teigns leaped to eighth in the Division One East table last weekend with a 2-1 win at Exeter University. The students had beaten league leaders Liverton a fortnight before, so Breslan was pleased with his side's display, and said only a fluke goal by the hosts made the scoreline so close.

Steve Mardell had given Teignmouth the lead after 20 minutes, connecting with a Matt Eves corner, but University scored a bizarre equaliser on the stroke of half time.

Mark Forrester had slid in to tackle one of the students on the edge of the penalty area, but the ball cannoned off the forward and looped over the head of Nicky Moyse in the Teignmouth goal.

However, the visitors went on to grab the winner with 10 minutes left when Scott Baxter made a forceful run into the penalty area and squared the ball to Sam Chapman who drilled the ball home.

Breslan said: "We showed good character to come out in the second half and play some decent stuff. I'm pleased to have gone up there and won, as they had beaten Liverton a fortnight before and have some decent players."

Only striker Adam Faye is unavailable for Teignmouth this weekend, but Ian Wilkinson returns from a three-match suspension to bolster the frontline.

Breslan added: "It's always a difficult trip to Appledore as the journey takes it out of you, but I think they have lost a few players so we will be going there full of confidence."

GALMPTON UNITED striker Dan Rankin will have to wait to add to his haul of goals as his side is without a league match this weekend.

Rankin made it 11 goals in his last eight league games – and six in his last three – by scoring twice in United's 3-1 win at Sidmouth Town last weekend.

Rankin's second-half strikes – both from the penalty spot – saw off Town, who had taken the lead in the first half.

Reece Moseley struck a 25-yard thunderbolt to ensure Galmpton went in level at half-time despite a dismal start.

"It's probably the worst we've played all season," said Greens' joint-player-manager Steve Parkin. "We started poorly and they should have been three or four up.

"But with Dan Rankin you've got a goal machine who looks like he's going to score every time he gets the ball."

It was the third straight run for Galmpton, and they are looking to win their next two, which are home and away games against Exeter Civil Service.

Parkin added: "When you are on a run you want to keep going, but I think the lads are going to have a few drinks at the weekend, and they deserve it really."