MATCH PREVIEW: Wimborne Town vs Tiverton Town
217 days after the season began, and with just 10 games left, Wimborne finally face Tiverton. The Yellows performed a great escape to finish one point and two places above the drop zone last season, but have seriously struggled this time around.
Hopes of an even greater escape for Tivvy in this campaign were raised over the Christmas and New Year period when Asa Hall’s team won twice on the bounce for the first time this season: 2-1 at Plymouth Parkway, then 2-1 at home to Taunton. However, a subsequent run of nine consecutive defeats has left them 21 points from safety with 13 games left, although nine of those are at Ladysmead.
Flooding on their already heavy pitch meant that Tivvy were only able to play two home games in four months from the end of October, and that has had a serious financial impact on the playing budget and the club as a whole. Consequently several of the experienced players have left, although this has given youth a chance with five of the U18s playing against Weymouth on Saturday, which bodes well for the future.
But for the here and now, Tiverton are rock-bottom with a W4 D2 L23 GF 30 GA 74 record; on their travels it’s W2 D1 L14 – those two victories were at Dorchester, in the second game of the season, and at Plymouth on Christmas Saturday. The draw? It was that remarkable match at Poole when Tivvy scored five but only went home with one point. In the current form (last six games) table, The Yellows are bottom having lost six on the trot, and have failed to get a score on the door in the last four: Dorchester at home 0-1, Berkhamsted away 0-3, Havant at home 0-2, and Weymouth at home 0-4. A make-shift Tivvy team did score twice in a Devon Cup quarter-final at Bovey Tracey mid-week, but went down 4-2.
In that league current form table, having led 1-0 at half-time in each of their last three games only to end up with 3 different results - Taunton 1-0, Yate 1-1, Plymouth Parkway 2-3 - The Magpies are 18th with a W1 D1 L4 record. But in the table that matters, Tim’s team remain 12th with a W10 D11 L11 GF 46 GA 44 record; at the Wyatt Homes Stadium it’s W8 D6 L2.
Our two recent signings, dual-signed defender Harry Thomas, and youth loan keeper Oscar Abbotson, both look excellent additions. But manager Tim Sills will be aware that the two games at Yate and Plymouth have been on strength-sapping surfaces as he decides on his starting XI.
Last season Wimborne won this corresponding fixture 3-0 with Will Fletcher, Jez Bedford, and Josh Carmichael scoring in a nine-minute second-half barrage. Mentioning ‘Shuey’, the midfield maestro made his 100th appearance for us on Tuesday.
In previous Southern League seasons, we’ve played Tivvy at home ten times, winning seven and losing three.
There’s just five home games left this season, and you won’t want to miss any of them as the boys give their all to achieve the Club’s highest-ever finish in the non-league pyramid. So come on down to The Wyatt Homes Stadium and cheer the boys on. After all, it’s what Saturday afternoons were made for.
Match Info:
- As there's limited parking at the ground in Ainsley Road BH21 2FU, if you can travel by bus, bike, or on foot it would be really helpful. If you do decide to travel by car and park on the nearby streets, please do so respectfully to our neighbours.
- The Morebus no.13 runs along Leigh Road from and to The Square in the town centre with stops at the bottom of Parmiter Road, a 5-minute stroll from the ground.
- There is a bike park near the players' entrance.
- A packed printed programme will, of course, be on sale.
- Admission: Adults £14, concessions £8, U18s £5, U13s £2.
- Weather Forecast: Sunny intervals; 10oC; 30% chance of rain.
