AFTER helping one team's successful fight against dropping out of the Football League, a relegation battle comes as nothing new to Yeovil Town's newest youngster.

Chelsea keeper Sam Walker is in line for his Glovers' home debut against Preston North End today after conceding three on his loan bow at Bury last weekend.

The 20-year-old arrived in Somerset last week with his new team entrenched in a fight to climb clear of npower League One's bottom four.

However, the challenge differs only slightly from Walker's first in senior football when he joined League Two Barnet at the end of last season.

The former Millwall schoolboy played a key role in the Bees' bid to prevent falling into the non-League, with victory on the final day of the season and results elsewhere sealing their goal.

Walker said: "I think Barnet last season was a really good one for me in terms of experience and the time I had there.

"We were playing in massive pressure games to keep the team in the Football League and we had the last game of the season where we had to win to keep us in the League and rely on other teams' results.

"All of those experiences I am aware of and they can only help me when I am here until the end of the season."

Walker first worked with Yeovil boss Gary Johnson at the start of this campaign at Northampton Town, and admitted he was looking forward to renewing acquaintances even if his spell at Sixfields proved busy.

The 2010 FA Youth Cup winner found himself on the receiving end of several drubbings, including a 7-2 home mauling by Shrewsbury Town.

Walker said: "This is very exciting for me. I was at Northampton at the start of the season, went back to Chelsea at Christmas and did not know what was going to happen with me.

"Gary Johnson gave me a call and it has all been pretty quick from there and I have not had time for it to settle in, really.

"I have got a lot of time for him, he had a lot of faith in me at the start of the season, taking me to Northampton, putting me in and giving me a chance to show what I can do. He has seen that he likes what I do and I like how he works as a manager.

"It was difficult at times (at Northampton). A keeper's main job is to keep the ball out of the net but that was not happening and there were certain examples at Northampton where we were letting in seven at home, and it can be disheartening.

"I am still young, they are all learning experiences I can take on board and make me a better keeper, eventually."

Johnson is not the only familiar face at Huish Park for Walker, who has faced Tottenham Hotspur loanees Jon Obika and Dean Parrett in reserve team matches.

He also revealed he consulted Stamford Bridge colleagues Conor Clifford and Adam Phillip – who have both had spells at Yeovil – before heading west.

Walker replaced Watford's Rene Gilmartin at Huish Park, following Jed Steer and Marek Stech to become the Glovers' fourth loan keeper of the season.

"I have played against Dean and Jon before and I also knew that Conor was previously here as well as Adam so I have heard quite a lot.

"They have got nothing but positive feedback and it helped me a lot them being here before so I could get a feeling and I am looking forward to it.

"I think I am the fourth one on loan so I am here until the end of the season and I will be doing everything to stop the ball going in the net and keep this team in the league."

YEOVIL Town youngster Rob Clowes has joined Evo-Stik Southern League outfit Bridgwater Town on loan.

The versatile forward spent a similar spell at Wimborne Town earlier this season having previously spent two work experience stints at Toolstation Western League Sherborne Town.

Second-year scholar Lloyd Matthews is currently at Southern League Frome Town.