Helston Athletic will play their fourth league away match in a row when they travel to Buckland Athletic on New Years Day for their latest Toolstation Western League match.

Athletic will have been hoping to have played on home soil in December, but their scheduled match against Mousehole for Boxing Day was postponed 48 hours before kick off due to positive covid cases in the Mousehole side.

The teams:

Helston go into the match looking to bounce back after two games without a win following a 1-1 draw at Exmouth Town and a 3-1 defeat to Shepton Mallet. The dropped points mean they are fifth in the table but have games in hand on the sides around them.

Just three points separate the second from seventh in the Western League at the moment, emphasising the importance of picking up points wherever possible. The lack of fixture against Mousehole meant that some Helston players will have rested legs, whereas others, only with the nod from the gaffer played for other sides in the pyramid.

Buckland Athletic are 11th in the league table and like Helston are winless in two having lost 3-0 to leaders Tavistock in their last match and picking up a point against Brislington prior to that.

Buckland have defeated two of the three Cornish sides they have faced this season, beating Millbrook in the league and Falmouth Town in the FA Vase earlier in season before losing to Saltash.

Buckland strengthened their side with the addition of centre back Luis Edmondson from Barnstaple on New Years Eve.

The managers:

Previewing the match Helston Athletic Manager Steve Massey said: "With our game being postponed I got to see them (Buckland Athletic) first hand on Boxing day, they’ll be saying themselves that they didn’t defend as well as they can do.

“Their position is a little bit false, I think they are far better than their position says. We are in real good shape, if anything not having a game has made us hungrier.

“Some of the boys had requested, which I don’t mind, to play games and the clubs they have been at have been respectful. There has been a few that have got 60 minutes that I say they can play for. Everybody is up for it, and we are really looking forward to it, particularly after Boxing Day.

Form (last five matches):

Buckland Athletic: WWWDL

Helston Athletic: WWWDL

Top scorers(league):

Buckland Athletic: Richard Groves 12, Ryan Bush 8, Nathan Cooper 8

Helston Athletic: Stu Bowker 18, Ryan Turner 10, Craig Veal 7

The match:

Kick off at the Homers Heath, TQ12 5JU is 3pm.

Adults £7, Consessions £5