Sidmouth Town boss: 18-day lay-off is so frustarting

Sidmouth Town’s Wednesday night game at Elmore fell foul of a waterlogged pitch in Mid Devon and, with no game tomorrow (Saturday) it means the Vikings will have been without any action for some 18 days when they travel to Ivybridge Town for an October 17, South West Peninsula League Premier East fixture.

Town played some eight games in 25 September days and now, after this 18-day enforced rest, they’ll pack another four in the space of 14 days taking them through to the end of October.

Vikings’ boss Danny Burwood says: “It’s not ideal having been so busy and then not playing for almost three weeks, but it is what it is.

“Okay, after eight games in such a short space of time that certainly took its toll – it’s no bad thing to have a midweek off, but to not play on successive Saturday’s is very frustrating.”

Town follow that October 17 trip to Ilfracombe with three successive home games, entertaining Torrington (October 21), Stoke Gabriel (October 24) and Bovey Tracey (October 31).

The Vikings’ boss is clear about what his side need to be looking at with regard to what they take from their four games later this month.

He says: “Six points – at least – is the target. If I reflect on the points return from eight games in September, I’d probably say we were between three and six points light of where I’d hope we’d be.

“I’d also have to throw in that the opening month was very much a ‘let’s see what happens’ time for us all, on and off the pitch. “It was a month that began with us changing in the stands and even now the rules are such that it’s a case of six only in the dressing room at one time.

“In terms of our matches and results, we had the meeting with Dartmouth where we simply ‘did not turn up’ and then had seven missing for the game with Brixham.

“That’s been the one thing I’d hope we could see an improvement on going forward and that is consistency of availability.

“At the moment I’d say the only consistency on that score is on unavailability, so it’d be nice to turn the tables on that one and get a settle side out for a run of three or four successive matches.”

As for this weekend and no Town game the Town boss says: “I do think we need to get a couple more in to complement the squad. I am not sure ‘the missus’ knows we don’t have a game this weekend so I might be able to get out and take a couple of local games in as I am keen to bring a new face or two in!

“That said, I am very satisfied with the squad we have and, as we have said many times before, playing at this level – a level I feel this club needs to be – there are no easy games and it’s certainly the case that the margins are very fine.”