Will Croker says the opening month of 2019 could prove pivotal in the South West Premier title race.
The table-topping Lions begin the New Year by hosting ninth side Weston-super-Mare this Saturday, followed by the visit of tenth team Bracknell and end January by welcoming eighth team Camborne.
In-between those home fixtures sees the visit of fifth outfit Brixham on January 19, and Director Of Rugby Croker says it could be an important four weeks, starting with Weston at home this week.
Croker said: “After what would seem to be a longer break then usual over the Christmas and New Year period, we now welcome an interesting month of January, with three home games in the month, and an away trip to Brixham.
“With our position as it is where we are seven points clear of Ivybridge in second and 11 points ahead of Barnstaple in third, it means that we can do ourselves no harm whatsoever by having a fantastic January and putting ourselves in a position whereby only an enormous slip up on our behalf would mean that we could be caught.”
Croker’s men headed into the festive break on a high after winning 16-7 at one of the toughest destinations in regional rugby - Devon hotbed Barnstaple on December 15.
That result meant the Chapel Gate outfit ended the opening half of the season on a high with 13 wins in their first 14 matches and a seven-point lead at the summit.
The Director Of Rugby said it gave them a perfect springboard from which to catapult into the second half of the campaign - and hopefully earn them promotion.
He added: “The trip to Barnstaple just before Christmas was one of my most enjoyable games to ever be involved with.
“In terms of there being some last-minute changes and hitches plus some injuries picked up, meaning the side changed even right up until the last minute against a very, very talented Barnstaple side that are well coached.
“But to go down there and play as well as we did and be in control and not panic, trust our defence and execute when we needed to was really really pleasing.”