Sidmouth Town’s game at Appledore on the first Saturday of December launches a month of five fixtures for the Vikings.

They will play three away and two at home in the final month of the year with the two home games sure to draw good crowds to Manstone Lane for they are the December 15 home meeting with Axminster Town and the Boxing Day home game with Budleigh Salterton.

The other games in December for Town to negotiate are a December 8 trip to Crediton United and a December 22 visit to Bovey Tracey.

Given that only two of the December games are against sides sitting above them – Bovey currently sit third and Axminster fifth - there’s every chance that come the turn of the year Town will be looking to push on and launch a bid for a top four berth.

Joint boss Kevin Tooze says: “It’s a well-oiled football cliché, but we need to take each game as it comes. There is one fly in the ointment – and that’s availability. If the players really want it, and by that I mean to be part of a successful football team, then availability will improve and we will get a run of outings where we don’t need to be running around chasing players to field an 11, let alone a 13!”

So what about the opposition for Town on Saturday? Appledore sit third bottom of the table having won just two games in their league campaign to date.

Both victories have come in home matches; 3-2 over Brixham and 3-1 over Honiton Town. Four teams have left Appledore with the points this season: Axminster Town (2-1), Alphington (3-1), Ilfracombe (3-1) and Crediton United (8-1).

In terms of the Sidmouth Town away record so far this season; the Vikings have a record identical to the home record of Appledore, winning two and losing four of their six outings.

Their two wins so far have come with a 1-0 victory at Honiton Town and a 4-2 success at Exeter University.

Town have lost on four trips, going down 1-0 at both Axminster Town and St Martin’s, 3-0 at Ilfracombe and 6-1 at Stoke Gabriel.