HOLSWORTHY first team manager Liam Dart expects his side to finish in mid-table in the inaugural Kit Kitchen South West Peninsula League Premier East.

The Magpies finished eighth in the last ever SWPL Division One (West) and have moved up to Step Six of the non-league pyramid for the 2019/20 season.

In a far cry from last year, where they made long trips down to West Cornwall to take on the likes of Penzance, Porthleven and Wendron United, the new FA restructuring means the North Devon club will take on Devon clubs as well as East Cornwall-based sides Torpoint Athletic and Millbrook in a division, which Dart expects to prove challenging.

They got their league campaign underway on Saturday with a 5-2 defeat to Newton Abbot Spurs at Upcott Field, before heading to Torridgeside on Tuesday night.

The Magpies have been one of the busier clubs in pre-season, taking on the likes of Premier West sides Camelford and Launceston, near neighbours Bude Town and Southern League outfit Barnstaple Town, both home and away.

However their plans for the new season have been disrupted by injuries to three key players.

Dart said: “Over the last two or three weeks we’ve picked up some long-term injuries. Dom Abbott is awaiting a scan to find out whether he’s done his ACL or medial ligament, Toby Martyn picked up a bad sprain and is out for 12 weeks and our captain Carlo Chandler has got pain in his ankle, so we’re not sure how long that’ll be.

“On top of that, Ewan Reeves has got a back injury, Jay Thomas, who’ll be really big miss for us, is going to university and Harrison Palmer is on a work scheme in America until the end of the month.”

Fortunately for Dart he’s been able to recruit seven, all of whom have been at the club before in the shape of defenders Ryan Lee and Jack Gilbert, midfielders Wes Pugh and Martyn and strikers Nathan Bonney, Tudor Placinta and the freescoring Harry Stevens from Barnstaple Town.

“We’ve been able to integrate them into the squad and I’m hoping that it’ll give us a bit more strength in depth, especially as we have 13 games in six weeks to start the season and the injuries we’ve picked up.

“We’ve had a tough pre-season in that we’ve played against lots of teams from a higher level or in the Premier West. We’ve been able to give out a lot of minutes, so everyone who’s fit is ready to play.”

Dart admits that he doesn’t know a great deal about most of the clubs, having faced Cornish clubs for the best part of a decade.

“It’s going to be a tough league we know that but it’s nice to have a fresh challenge having been in Division One (West) for the last five years since I’ve been manager. You know everyone in the west league having played or managed in it for so long, so going into the new league is a bit of an unknown quantity, but t’ll be an interesting challenge. There’s lots of experienced managers at the likes of Torridgeside, Newton Abbot, Brixham, Torpoint and Cullompton. In terms of management, at 33 I’m young, but I think we’ve got a good enough side to do well this season.”

When asked what would constitute a successful league campaign, Dart wasn’t setting any lofty targets.

He said: “I think to finish in the middle of the league would be about right. Newton Abbot Spurs, Brixham, Millbrook, Ivybridge, Cullompton and Torpoint will be the top teams in the league as well as potentially Torridgeside who did well last year.

“Out first three games are against teams who I think will push towards the top six, so it’ll tell us where we’re at.

“We know it’s going to be a challenge but as a club you need to evolve and not stand still. As a manager that’s what I want to do as well, as do the players.”

Holsworthy have been given a hectic opening. Although they’ve already played on Saturday and on Tuesday at Torridgeside, they still have a further five games before the end of the month.

This Saturday they welcome Ivybridge Town to Upcott Field (3pm) before Torrington visit on Wednesday night (7.30pm). They then end the month with a trip to South Devon to face Stoke Gabriel on August 24 before their third evening away fixture of the season at Elburton Villa three days later. Honiton Town visit on Saturday, August 31.

Now that they are in Step Six, Holsworthy will compete in the Devon St Lukes Bowl where they could face the reserve teams of Torquay United and Plymouth Argyle, Southern League clubs Barnstaple Town and Bideford and Western League outfits Buckland Athletic and Plymouth Parkway.

Holsworthy welcome Ivybridge on September 25 for the right to face Sidmouth Town or Dartmouth in the last 16, a week after they face Torrington in the Walter C Parson Funeral Directors League Cup, which is for teams in both Premier East and West of the SWPL.

If the Magpies get past Torrington, they will travel to Launceston in the second-round.

Dart said: “Hopefully we can do okay in the cups, it’d be great to have a local derby at Launceston in the League Cup, but we know that Torrington will be a tough game, just like every one will be this season.”

Over the last couple of years, Dart has dramatically reduced the age of his squad, regularly introducing teenagers from the Under 18s and the reserves side who play in the North Devon League Senior Division, and he is keen to continue with that despite the massive step up in quality.

He said: “The youth are going to be massive for us. They’ll have had another year’s experience from last season so they will once again be the prominent part of our team.

“We’ll be continuing with the same philosophy as last year.”