TAUNTON Town will be hoping to beat the weather for the first time since December 23 as they travel to AFC Totton on Saturday.

Both the Boxing Day clash at Paulton Rovers and New Year's Day match against Bideford fell victim to waterlogged pitches, and new Peacocks signings Toby Down and Craig Veal may need to wait to get started, with tomorrow's game rated as ‘50/50’ to go ahead.

The new pair have come in for the departed Omar Simpson (to Paulton Rovers) and Matt Villis (retired).

Down, a 20-year-old defender who is the son of ex-Taunton player Ian, joins from Exeter City, while striker Veal, 27, is back for a third spell at Wordsworth Drive, having been there in 2009-12 and 2015-17.

Managed Leigh Robinson said: “They trained with us on Monday [January 1] and both slotted in well.

“For Craig it was like he’d never been away, and he had a real spring in his step, and Toby was very impressive.”

Town lead Evo-Stik Southern League West by seven points over Salisbury (with two games in hand), but this weekend’s match at seventh-placed Totton is in doubt due to the weather.

Robinson said: “It’s 50/50.

“It’s not our pitch so we don’t have the full picture, but the forecast is not great.”

Regarding their prospective opponents, he added: “Totton are having a good season; they have good players and a manager [Louis Langdown] who is well connected to the professional circles, around AFC Bournemouth.

“They’re a young and energetic side.”

Whether the match goes ahead or not will define which line-up Robinson fields in Wednesday’s Southern League Cup third round tie at Frome Town (ko 7.45pm).

The Peacocks have not played since December 23, with games against Paulton Rovers and Bideford being postponed.

“When the tie was announced, we planned to field a development side,” the boss said.

“But if Saturday’s match is off, we’ll have players needing minutes, so we’ll look at it as a first team training session.

“The result is not important, especially with a busy fixture schedule ahead.”

Elsewhere this weekend, Wellington are looking to bounce back from last Saturday's home defeat to Bridport as they travel to mid-table Shepton Mallet in the Toolstation Western League Premier Division.

Bishops Lydeard host Almondsbury in the Western League First Division, while Staplegrove are without a game in the Somerset County League Premier Division.