Sidmouth launch their 2018 fixture schedule on Saturday (January 6) with a trip to Paignton, who sit 10th in the table, two places and three points below the Chiefs in the Western Counties (West) table.

The season to date for the Chiefs has certainly been a contrasting one in terms of their first seven games and then their most recent six!

After an opening day 23-22 victory at St Austell, the Chiefs went on a run of six straight defeats, losing at Torquay Athletic, Kingsbridge and Burnham-on-Sea as well as being beaten at home by Tiverton, Paignton and Truro.

However, the sixth successive defeat – an October 28, 36-17 loss at Burnham - is currently the last time that the Chiefs suffered defeat in the league.

Since a November 4, 25-24 home win over Chard, the Chiefs have reeled off a sequence of five further wins with away success at Crediton and Falmouth complemented by home victories over Devonport Services, Wadebridge and, in their last game before the festive break, a 24-0 Blackmore win over Kingsbridge.

When Sidmouth Chiefs met Paignton in South Devon on match day three of the current campaign, they lost 12-10.

Victory this coming Saturday will be the seventh successive win for the side this term.