IVYBRIDGE Town begin their preparations for the new challenge of Western League football with a pre-season visit to Newquay on Saturday 6 July.

That will be the first in a series of six pre-season friendlies including home matches against Bovey Tracey on Wednesday, July 10 at 7.30 and Sticker on Tuesday, July 16 at 7.45.

Ivybridge will visit Wendron on Saturday July 13 for their annual fixture in the Leon Sargent Challenge Cup.

They complete the pre-season programme with visits to Liskeard on Friday July 19 and Bodmin on Tuesday July 23.

Ivybridge are looking forward to competing in the Premier Division of the Jewson Western League after winning promotion from the South West Peninsula last season by topping the East Division with a 26-point advantage over runners-up Bovey Tracey.

They launch the new season with a home match against Bridgwater at Erme Valley on Saturday July 27. The early weeks of the season will feature attractive home local derbies against Saltash on August 17 and Torpoint on September 17.

Joint managers Wayne Gamble and Lance Bailey have boosted the squad with two new signings. Sam Hillson arrives from Torpoint and Ollie Aplin from Bovey Tracey, having won the Golden Boot in the Peninsula League East Division last season, scoring 25 goals for Bovey, just beating Ivybridge top scorer Luke Forward, who finished on 23 goals.

In fact, Aplin is a former Ivybridge player, scoring 13 goals for them in the 2021-22 season.

An exciting season awaits the club once again!