FORMER Dawlish Town striker Steve Mardell could be a late inclusion for Newton Abbot Spurs in tomorrow's local derby at Teignmouth in Division One (East) of the Carlsberg South West Peninsula League.

It depends if the Recreation Ground club can push his registration through in time, but he trained with the Spurs squad in midweek and could form a fresh partnership up front with another recent signing, Ollie Critchlow, from rivals Stoke Gabriel.

"I don't know a lot about the lad (Mardell) other than he moved to the London area about three years ago having played for both Dawlish Town and Teignmouth," said manager Chris Breslan.

"However. he's now back living in South Devon and available for the weekend if we can get the paperwork done."

Mardell's arrival is timely with Spurs having recently lost Darren Bingham back to Exeter Civil Service.

Critchlow was signed to take over that goal-scoring mantle, so another attacking option is welcomed by Breslan and co-manager Steve Workman.

Added Breslan: "Some of our defeats this season haven't just been down to conceding sloppy goals.

"It would be nice to go in front for a change instead of chasing games, so having Critchlow, and now Mardell around could be the ingredients that have been missing from the side.

"Certainly we've found it difficult putting a finger on where we're going wrong, because last week's 1-0 defeat against Appledore should, at worse, have been a draw with the number of clear cut chances we created."

Breslan looks forward to tomorrow's game at Coombe Valley for no better reason than Teignmouth's player-manager, Geoff Breslan, is a nephew.

"Geoff was also a Newton Spurs youth team player before launching his professional career with Exeter City, so has strong links with our club as well as strong family ties," said Breslan.

Meanwhile, Teignmouth aren't expected to make any changes to the starting line-up following last Saturday's 6-3 win at Combe Martin to advance to the last 16 of the Graddon Vending Devon Premier Cup.

Explained assistant manager Martin Jones: "The Reserves are without a game, so there are one or two players from their pool to include on the bench having had only three substitutes last week.

"However, we see no need to make changes from Combe Martin, despite conceding three times. The pitch up there made it a great leveller, but we were fitter and deserved to go through.

"In fact, the worst part about last Saturday was getting the kit cleaned afterwards. It's had three washes, and the mud stains are still visible!"

NOT for the first time, Galmpton United Gents manager Adam Kerswell errs on the side of caution ahead of tomorrow's home clash with Budleigh Salterton.

He did the same before last Saturday's 4-0 victory over Okehampton Argyle, reminding his squad that the 5-0 win at Okehampton a few weeks earlier should be totally blanked out, consigned to history.

Tomorrow offers a similar scenario inasmuch as Gents have beaten Budleigh 4-2 away from home in the first game of season, so there's always the danger of players believing the return to be a formality. Not least having won their last five games league games.

"Nothing could be further from the truth," said Kerswell.

"Budleigh are better than their league position (15th) indicates, and I'm not expecting them to roll over and die.

"It was a good win up there, but we were 2-1 down and it needed a hat-trick from Carl Cliff-Brown to get us out of trouble. He was flying that day, but is no longer with the club.

"Also, we need to be cautious, because it's approaching a notoriously sticky patch in the build-up to Christmas. It's an old cliche, but nothing was ever won at this time of the year, only lost, and so we have to make sure we remain consistent."

There's an addition to last week's squad with the return of midfielder Jason Heath after suspension.

"It's where my headache starts, because it gives me a squad of 15, all of whom are in form at the moment," said Kerswell.

NEW signing Robbie Bowker hopes it's third time lucky as Liverton United prepare to lock horns away to league leaders Exeter Civil Service.

The former Dartmouth AFC midfielder was due to make his debut for the Halford club against University of Exeter before the game was rained off. And the same happened last week when the pitch was reduced to a lake ahead of the match with Ottery St Mary.

"It's not just frustrating for Robbie, but the other players as well," echoed joint managers Alan Hext and Tony Bowker.

"The pitch had been marked out (for last Saturday), only for a huge deluge to leave water lying everywhere. It was a choker, because we need games ahead of next week against the holders Boca Seniors in the Devon Premier Cup."

Of tomorrow's clash, both Hext and Bowker believe three points to be well within Liverton's capabilities.

"Civil Service are top of the league on merit, but their squad is not as strong as it was," said Bowker.

"Key players have left to join Ottery St Mary, while we've strengthened our squad and fear no-one."

In fact, that's not strictly true with midfielder Nick Rudge having chosen to re-join Kingskerswell & Chelston in the South Devon League.

"There are no hard feelings," said Bowker. "Nick wasn't getting games, and players his age want to be playing football every Saturday. He can always come back to us."

STOKE GABRIEL entertain University of Exeter with manager Pete Gartrell listing the game as the first of an up-coming series that will fashion the rest of their season.

"After tomorrow, we face Plymouth Parkway Reserves in the Devon Premier Cup and then top five clubs Exeter Civil Service, Alphington and Galmpton United Gents in the league, so the imminent fixtures speak for themselves," he said.

Stoke have yet to meet University this season, but Gartrell warns they're a threat with their ability to get the ball down and play.

"They're the same as us in that sense, and extremely well coached by Dave Evans. They move the ball around well, and the size of our pitch will suit them just as it does us," said Gartrell.

News from the dressing room is that Kevin Wills remains side-lined through injury, and that 17-year old Jake Ellis has been registered with the club having started this season with Galmpton United Reserves in the South Devon League.

Ellis, a third and final year Sports Development student at South Devon College, has just made it into the final 22 for this season's English Universities football squad, and is named in the Stoke party for tomorrow.

TOTNES & Dartington SC are home to Appledore with seven places yet only five points separating the teams in the table.

Third-placed Appledore have also played a game more, so the significance of making home advantage count is not lost on the South Hams club.

Alas, T&D have not kicked a competitive ball for almost a month, with last Saturday's game at Exeter Civil Service the latest victim of the weather.

Manager John Gayle announced an unchanged squad for that match despite a 2-1 defeat at home to University of Exeter on their last appearance on October 31, and he has confirmed that he'll be calling on the same personnel again

"Looking back on the game against University, we should have murdered them," said the former Torquay United striker.

OTHER games in Division One (East) feature Ottery St Mary at home to Royal Marines, Okehampton Argyle (Axminster Town), Bickleigh (Crediton United) and Alphington (Exmouth Town).