The South-West Peninsula League schedule has handed Honiton Town an incredible end to the football season.
The Hippos played on Saturday and Sunday, followed by four more fixtures in the space of just six days to complete the campaign. It is going to be huge test on the legs, lungs and everyone behind the scenes at Mountbatten Park.
It all adds up to six games in eight games and, just to make the challenge even greater, Honiton started this bizarre sequence with a visit from leaders Torpoint Athletic on Saturday.
Torpoint showed their strength in the early stages, grabbing a ninth-minute lead through Lewis Pacey and they doubled that advantage with a goal from Ryan Richards before half-time. There was no further scoring in the game and Torpoint entered the final week needing five points from their last three games to guarantee the title.
The Hippos, meanwhile, woke up on Sunday morning to do it all over again. This time, it was a visit from the other end of the form spectrum, as bottom club Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police made the Mountbatten trip.
After a tight opening to the game, Honiton grabbed the lead with a delightful finish from Max McKeown and the task was made a lot easier when the Stoke goalkeeper was dismissed on the stroke of half-time for deliberate handball.
The Hippos toiled a little after the break, with legs feeling understandably weary, before Owen Hanks scored a second ten minutes from time. A late third confirmed the win for Honiton, who next faced Newton Abbot Spurs at home on Tuesday, a return trip to Torpoint on Thursday, Torridgeside visit on Saturday and they finish at home to Okehampton on Bank Holiday Monday.
Axminster Town have a comparatively chilled end to the season, with two games this week. Struggling Ottery St Mary visit on Wednesday night and the Tigers finish their season at Ivybridge on Saturday.
It is still possible for Axminster to finish in the top six after a goal from Chris McGrath was enough to give them a well-deserved 1-0 win at Dartmouth on the weekend.
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