A look ahead to tonight’s Toolstation Western League game for Exmouth Town at Tavistock

Exmouth Town are in action tonight (Wednesday) when they travel to Tavistock for a Toolstation Western League Premier Division game.

The Southern Road men will be skippered by Dave Rowe who returned to action in Saturday’s 3-2 home win over Hallen.

That success served as the perfect response to Town losing their long unbeaten home record when they were beaten 4-3 by Shepton Mallet last Wednesday.

Speaking after the Hallen win and ahead of the trip to Tavistock, Town number two Andy Rawlings said: “The lads were superb against Hallen and it was the perfect ‘pick-us-up’ shift in as much as, after the loss to Shepton Mallet, and in the circumstances of that defeat, it’d perhaps have been a worry that one or two players might carry a hangover into the next game.

“But we saw none of that and it just underlines the strength of character we have in the dressing room at Town that the lads could pick themselves up after Wednesday night and deliver what they did on Saturday afternoon.”

Rawlings confessed that, after the late, late drama in midweek, when Hallen pulled it back to 3-2 in the 90th minute on Saturday there was that moment when he thought: “Oh no, not again!”

However, he explained, there was no need for worry, adding: “Even after the Hallen second goal and with just minutes to go, the lads closed the game out superbly. It was like our old selves.

“I don’t doubt that we actually probably got what we deserved against Shepton Mallet. Yes, we can blame lack of match practice, match fitness, but we simply were not good enough on the night, irrespective of some very strange officiating decisions which went against us on the night.

“That said, the other side of that particular coin is that we needed to show a response against Hallen, and we did, so now we can go to Tavistock ready for another big, big game.”

On the return to action of skipper Rowe, Rawlings said: “It’s great to welcome him back. He is a huge influential presence on the pitch and in the dressing room.”

Dan Cullen, who limped out of the action against Hallen, is the only doubt for the Tavvy trip.

Rawlings added: “We hope Dan will be okay, but if he’s not right then we’ll not risk the lad. Alfie [Mahon] came on after 20 minutes on Saturday and did a great job so we know we have strength in depth. Games with Tavistock have been, in recent times, special matches and I don’t doubt this one will be any different.”