MATCH PREVIEW: Wimborne Town vs Gloucester City
Having lost out in the play-off final for the past two seasons, there’s no doubt that promotion is The Tiger’s top target this term. Many pundits, and our own ‘prediction poll’, expect City to do just that. So league games won’t come much tougher than our third fixture of the new season, and our second at The Wyatt Homes Stadium in four days, against Gloucester.
The Tigers were relegated from National North at the end of the 2023-24 season after 15 years in the National League set-up. Their first season back in the Southern League saw them finish fourth in Premier South with 77 points, only to lose 1-0 to Totton in the play-off final. Last season, with Daf Williams in charge, they improved to third on 82 points, but lost the all-important final game 5-1 at high-spending Farnham.
Williams brought in nine players over the summer, with six of them starting in the season opener on Saturday, and two more, including striker Ethan Dunbar, on the bench. City’s leading scorer from 2025-26, Kane Simpson, has, however, moved back and up to Step 2 Merthyr.
On an opening day set of shock results, Gloucester’s 1-0 home defeat by Chertsey was one of the biggest. Just as surprising was The Tigers’ 3-2 defeat at Bracknell on Tuesday evening. Those results leave them as one of five teams who have yet to earn a point this season from their first two fixtures.
Another team still to bag a point is our own Wimborne Town who suffered an opening-day 2-0 defeat at Frome, and then Tuesday evening’s 1-0 loss to Chichester at the Wyatt Homes Stadium. The other three with ‘nil points’ are Basingstoke, Gosport and Havant & Waterlooville – who’d have predicted that before the season began! Three teams have yet to bother the scoreboard operators: Gosport, Havant, and Wimborne. Manager Tim Sills made four changes to Tuesday’s starting line-up, will he shuffle his pack again on Saturday?
How have The Magpies fared against The Tigers in previous seasons? Our three visits to Gloucester’s 3G have all ended in defeat: in 2024-25 it was 1-0 in the league, and on penalties in the FA Trophy after a 2-2 draw; and 5-0 last season. Both league matches at the Wyatt Homes Stadium have been exciting, nerve-jangling last-minute draws: Sam Jackson’s header in additional time for 1-1 two seasons ago, and Gloucester’s penalty in time added-on for 2-2 last November.
Home games against Gloucester have been some of the most entertaining we’ve seen at our wonderful new stadium, and you won’t want to miss this one with both sides keen to kick-start their campaign. Put on that replica shirt, slap on some sunscreen, and come on down to support Tim’s team. 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 between The Square in the town centre and Ferndown and Bournemouth with stops at the bottom of Parmiter Road, a five-minute stroll from the ground.
- There is a bike park near the players' entrance.
- A packed printed programme will be on sale for £3. It’s probably our best edition of the season so far.
- Admission: Adults £14, Concessions £9, U18s £5, U13s FREE with paying adult. Half-time admission £5.
- Weather Forecast: Sunny intervals; 27oC; <5% chance of rain.
