TAUNTON Titans resume their National Two South campaign with a relatively short trip to Barnstaple on Saturday (2pm).
The Titans arrested their pre-Christmas slump with a 36-17 home win over Old Redcliffians prior to the two-week festive break, and enter 2018 in fourth.
The league’s top two, Chinnor and Cinderford, have a comfortable advantage over the chasing pack going into the second half of the season and it will take a monumental effort for Taunton to overhaul either.
All Tony Yapp’s side can do is win their matches and hope for slip-ups from the pace-setters, and defeating a side they beat 52-3 in September’s reverse fixture is first on their list of New Year resolutions.
It will not be an easy ride, however, and memories of last season’s 22-19 reverse in North Devon will be fresh in the mind as the Titans make the trip on Saturday.
Elsewhere this weekend, Wiveliscombe have a crunch encounter at the top of Somerset Premier as they welcome Gordano.
Second-placed Wivey will leapfrog the leaders with a win and should be raring to go, having not played in the league since December 9.
Wellington also have a vital game on home soil as they host Penryn in the Cornwall & Devon league.
The home side begin 2018 in second place, with Penryn currently one place and one point behind.
Wyvern are hoping a new year brings a change of fortunes in Somerset One – they are currently rock bottom on -15 points ahead of Saturday’s visit of North Petherton 2nds.
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