Falmouth Town and Helston Athletic will begin their 2019/20 South West Peninsula League campaign tomorrow night.

Town will enjoy home comforts for their opening game as Mousehole make the trip to Bickland Park (kick-off 7.30pm).

The Seagulls will take on Town for the first time since October 2011, when Falmouth ran out 8-0 winners in the SWPL Cup.

Manager Andrew Westgarth said: “I can’t wait. It has come around really quickly, actually. Pre-season is very draining for a manager and the easy part of football is generally the matchday so I’m really looking forward to getting into it.”

Mousehole are one of nine clubs in last season’s SWPL Division 1 West that have been promoted to the new SWPL Premier West this year, along with the likes of Liskeard Athletic, St Blazey, Porthleven and Wendron United.

Despite their status as a newly-promoted side, the Seagulls, under the management of former Falmouth Town man Jake Ash, have been tipped by many to win the inaugural Premier West title.

“It’s a tough, tough start,” Westgarth said. “Mousehole go a little bit under the radar in terms of personnel, because you don’t really know who they’ve got down there, but it’s great to have that local interest with Jake Ash. I’ve got a lot of respect for him, a lot of time for him and I’m sure they’re going to have a competitive squad, so it’s a great first game for both of us to gauge where we’re at.

“This is their first game in this league so they won’t know too much about the opposition, and likewise us, we haven’t played Mousehole for a few years, so it should be a good game.”

Falmouth have won just two opening-day fixtures since the start of the SWPL in 2007. They lost 4-1 at St Austell last year and suffered a 7-0 hammering at home to Tavistock the year before.

New Town signing Luke Barner is unavailable due to work, but fellow new signing Steve Parker-Billinge is set to debut in goal as cover for Ryan Barnes, who is away in New Zealand throughout August. Sixteen-year-old centre-back Reuben Talbot is also unavailable.

Ben Oliver could be in line to make his competitive Town debut in defence, while Olly Walker could make his second debut for the club after returning from a short spell at Newquay.

  • Follow live text coverage of the game on the Packet website, plus report, photos and video highlights.

Falmouth Packet:

Steve Parker-Billinge is set to make his competitive debut for Falmouth Town

Blues start at Peppermints

Helston Athletic also begin their campaign tomorrow night when they visit Newquay (kick-off 7.30pm).

It will be a first chance to see the new-look Blues in competitive action, with Steve Massey's side among the favourites to win the inaugural SWPL Premier West title.

Helston have added six new and returning faces to their squad, with Cameron Wheat, Olly Brokenshire and Neil Slateford joining, while Liam Eddy, Mark Goldsworthy and Jason Robertson begin a second spell at the club.

Manager Steve Massey said: “We couldn’t have been given a tougher start, it’s going to be a real, tough start. I’m not even going to say: ‘Ooh, if we’re up it’, because believe me, we will be up for it, and so will Newquay.

“I watched Newquay on Saturday and they will play at ten times that intensity they showed. They passed the ball around a bit and swapped players on and off but they will play at an intensity of ten times that.

“I’m not saying that it’s going to set our season up but it will go a long way towards it. It’s going to be a big, big test for us, but it’s certainly one we will be up for and looking forward to.”

Helston have had mixed fortunes on the opening day of their four previous campaigns at SWPL Premier level. The Blues beat St Blazey 3-0 in their Premier bow in 2015, before going down 2-1 at Callington Town in their opener the following season.

They were then hammered 5-1 at tonight's opponents Newquay on the first day of the season two years ago, but a last-minute winner from Jamie Thirkle sealed a 2-1 win at home to Sticker last year.

The Peppermints got the better of Helston in their two meetings last season. Newquay edged a 2-1 win at their Mount Wise Stadium last August, before coming from two goals down to snatch a point at Kellaway Park in September.

The Blues are without Phil Cattran and Kai Cornish for tonight's game, although both could be involved in their second game at home to Liskeard Athletic next weekend. Eddy will have to wait to make his second debut as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.

Wheat, Brokenshire and Slateford are all in contention to make their competitive first-team debuts, while Goldsworthy and Robertson could make their second debuts.

Falmouth Packet:

Cameron Wheat (centre) could be one of five debutants for the Blues on Wednesday night

SWPL Premier West fixtures:

Tuesday, August 6 (7.30pm)

St Austell v Liskeard Athletic

Wadebridge Town v Godolphin Atlantic (Newquay)

Wednesday, August 7 (7.30pm)

Callington Town v Saltash United

Falmouth Town v Mousehole

Newquay v Helston Athletic