Dorchester Town welcome back star striker Ben Watson for tomorrow’s trip to Bideford (2pm) – but will be without the services of goalkeeper Jason Matthews and wing wizard Nick Crittenden.

A calf injury has restricted Watson to just 45 minutes of action thus far but the summer signing is set to return at Kingsley Road as the Magpies aim to break their pre-season duck.

Unfortunately though, Crittenden misses out due to an ankle problem while Matthews is unavailable.

Manager Phil Simkin, whose side enter the friendly on the back of defeats to Exeter, Brighton and Yeovil, said: “We have enjoyed the three games we have played so far and they have been great fitness exercises, but it’s been difficult playing three Football League sides in such a short space of time.

“It amazes me that people forget who we have played against. We haven’t managed to score yet but we have played three Football League clubs and our main centre-forward (Ben Watson) has been out with an injury.

“Tomorrow will be a difficult game for different reasons. They are flying having just been promoted to a new league (Evo-Stik Southern Premier) so it will be a different test.

“Ben Watson looks as though he will be fit to play and it’s almost like a new start for us. I’m not sure what their pitch will be like but we will look to try and impose our game on them.

“We do have a slight problem with Critts though. He turned his ankle on Tuesday so he won’t take part tomorrow.

“It’s nothing serious but we have to make sure he is okay for the start of the season.

“Jason has a prior engagement, which he told us about as soon as he joined, so Sean Lillington will stand in for him. He has been at places like Hamworthy United and Poole Town so he’s a more than competent keeper.”

Simkin revealed in yesterday’s Echosport that he was close to securing a loan deal for an unnamed striker.

Asked for an update, the county town boss added: “There are now two players who could be coming on loan – the other one is a defender.

“I have spoken to the club involved again and I’m waiting to hear back from them.

“There is a possibility that they could play tomorrow but I’m not 100 per cent sure. They are both highly rated players and hopefully the deals will come off.”

Another of the Magpies’ recent acquisitions, midfielder Andy Masson, is also nearing full fitness.

Simkin said: “Andy is close to coming back. He’s probably a week away from training again but the worse thing we could do is push him.

“He did the damage to his knee last season but nobody picked up on it. He felt it when he was training with us and it was Damion Maston, who is one of the best physios I have ever worked with, who discovered it was ligament damage.”

* The Magpies Summer Soccer School will be running every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during the school summer holidays.The course will run from July 31 to August 23 (10am-2pm) at Dorchester Middle School, costing £10 per day.The school will be led by first-team assistant-manager Stuart Heath with a number of county town stars also present to coach the players.For more information, contact 07967228301 or visit dorchestertownfc.co.uk