Devonshire Colts coach Keishon Smith believes his team's first three matches of the new year could determine whether they survive relegation.

Colts open up the second half of the season with a game against heavyweights North Village before taking on lowly Somerset Trojans and Southampton Rangers.

Smith is demanding maximum points against the latter two sides who are also languishing near the foot of the league table.

"We cannot take anything for granted but if any of those teams are there not focusing on what needs to be done then we will go ahead and take advantage of those lapses," he said.

"In a perfect world, you want to beat everyone but it is more important to beat those teams around us – that is our mind frame.

"The teams we did beat in the first half of the season were supposed to be winning the league. If we can beat the likes of PHC and Somerset Eagles then we can beat these teams."

Colts have looked a much-improved side this season than the one that failed to win a league match during the 2008-9 campaign, and only survived the drop by beating St.David's on penalties in the Premier Division play-offs.

And Smith now wants his men to make some inroads into the teams above them to avoid a relegation dogfight this time around.

"It is a very important part of the season for all teams, we all have the ability to beat each other so it will really be about taking your chances on the day," he said.

"When you get your turn you have to seize it. We are in a good position to make a move up the table.

"We have to maintain our level of composure because at the end of the day nobody gave us a chance to stay up and now we have a chance to make some inroads into the teams above us.

"If we can keep doing the right things, it will only be a matter of time before we can do something positive.

"There is no real dominating team out there, no team has come out and put their foot down to say we are the side to beat. At the end of the day it comes down to who gets out of the blocks the best early on."

Colts are currently eighth in the standings, four points ahead of bottom club Hamilton Parish.