WEYMOUTH’S Steve Colwell is “chomping at the bit” to make an impression in the Ridgeway derby at the Avenue on Boxing Day.

The midfielder was left on the bench when the two sides met in the league in August, a decision which manager Jason Matthews admitted at the time was one of his toughest since taking charge at the club.

But after forcing his way back into the Terras’ starting XI over the course of the campaign, and having scored his first goal for the club at the Bob Lucas Stadium against Biggleswade Town last Saturday, Colwell is eager to impress if selected.

“I am chomping at the bit and hopefully I can start,” he told Echosport.

“We could not have asked for better form going into the game, all the boys are looking forward to it. It’s a big game anyway but the position we are in makes it even bigger, so we are all buzzing for it on Boxing Day.

“I was obviously devastated to be left out of the first one. It was our biggest crowd of the season so far and everyone wants to play in front of the big crowds and in the big games.

“We talk about the derby for a lot of the season and you are always looking forward to playing in it.”

Colwell admits he has never played in front of a four-figure crowd previously in his career, but the former Plymouth Parkway man is not concerned about getting stage fright against the Magpies.

He added: “I don’t see more people being there as something that will make me nervous. As a footballer, you should strive to play in front of a decent crowds.

“When I was at Parkway or Bodmin, we may have been touching between 300 and 400 but nothing like four figures.

“It’s a big one for me and I’m really looking forward to it, the bigger the better.”

Asked what it would mean to the squad to complete a league double over their arch-rivals, Colwell claimed: “It would be massive and finish off the year brilliantly for us.”