Torrington postponement almost inevitable in this frustrating year

After weeks of decent weather through the recent lockdown, it was a 2020 inevitability that the rains would ruin Sidmouth Town’s return to football.

The Vikings were all set for a trip to Torrington last weekend in the South-West Peninsula League before the elements intervened.

“We knew there was heavy rain coming in and the weather can often be different up in North Devon,” said Sidmouth manager Danny Burwood.

“It was a shame because the boys were really up for it, we had a full squad and everyone was really looking forward to the game.

“Unfortunately, it is another week away from playing but we did have training this week, which was a chance for the lads to get together and put in some reminders on positioning and set-pieces.”

While the absence of competitive football is a continued frustration, Burwood already has thoughts about the Boxing Day showdown with a Honiton side brimming with confidence. There was also the chance to get some festive shopping done.

“As it gets closer to Christmas, there is so much for everyone to do but I do look at other scores, and the big one was Honiton winning at Torridgeside, which is a great result for them,” added Burwood.

“It gives us a bit of a kick in respect to Boxing Day, when we welcome Honiton to our place.

“We do need to get a game in before that fixture and we know Plymouth Marjon away will be fine on the 19th because they play on an artificial pitch.”

Results on a Saturday will always be the bread and butter for a football manager, but achieving that success often involves a lot of unseen work.

It is a case of monitoring rival clubs, keeping tabs on local players and building a picture of what you might face when match-day arrives.

“I’m always looking at other results from our league, and other leagues,” said Burwood. “I was even curious about the game between Exmouth and Tiverton on Saturday.

“It is an important part of the job to keep updated with players from around the local leagues.

“Ideally, I would like to watch games in person but our league is so stretched. When you do get a weekend off, you think about who you can scout, with a view to games further down the line.”