A Strong Point on the Road to Wimborne Last Month, Could it Become Three at Home?

Match Preview

Tiverton Town V Wimborne Town

Tuesday April 14th

7.45pm Kick Off

At The Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium

Under the lights on Tuesday Evening, Tiverton will take on Dorset side Wimborne.  It will be hard to move on from Saturday's drubbing at the hands of Bracknell, but there is no point in dwelling too long on that result or for the players to feel sorry for themselves. There is always another game to put things right.

Matt Wood inherited the captaincy away to Wimborne and led the side to a solid point. There have been some highs and real lows as a squad so far for the young captain. (Viv Curtis)

Two weeks of the season remain and four games. Three of them are at home and this is the first of those fixtures at the Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium. Asa Hall’s men will be intent on giving the fans something to cheer about as the campaign begins to draw to a close.

In managerial terms it's the battle between two former Torquay favourites. Asa Hall will be up against Tim Sills. Hall is of course revered by Gull’s fans and in 2009 Sill's fired home the second goal in the Conference National Play Off Final, sending Torquay back into the EFL. The Popular striker scored 34 times in 107 games for them and will always be fondly remembered at Plainmoor.

Sill's Wimborne saw many departures in pre-season, following a reduction to the playing budget. He has instigated a rebuild that initially saw them in the top half of the table.

After Saturday's defeat at home to Berkhamsted however, the Magpies are still probably three points shy of survival and will want to get over the line before the pressure starts to mount. The away meeting was only a month ago, when the Two teams played out a goalless draw at the Wyatt Homes Stadium.

The enigmatic Rafa Ramos was signed recently after starting the season with Gosport Borough, followed by a short spell with Winchester. A towering presence and gifted footballer, Ramos has yet to recapture the kind of form at Gosport in the 2023/24 season that saw National South side Salisbury acquire his services. On his day he is a menacing proposition.

Joe Smith was prolific in the league below last term for Bemerton Heath Harlequins, where his strike partner was ex Yellow Leighton Thomas. Smith found the net on 23 occasions in 29 league games for his former team and the talented forward has 8 for his new club.

Striker Will Fletcher was a mainstay last season and has remained at the new look Wimborne for this campaign. Fletcher spent quite a few seasons with Poole and the Dorset based player was with Dorchester for the 2023/24 campaign. Moving to the Wyatt Homes Stadium last term, he has realised his clear potential. He has scored 26 times from 78 games in a Magpie's shirt.

Bermudan born winger Ajani Burchall has impressed recently. Still only 21, he became Bournemouth's third youngest player ever, when he played a game for them in the Championship during the 2020/21 campaign. He was with the Cherries’ between 2016 and 2020 and then transferred to Aston Villa and was released last year.

Talented and speedy, young technical forward Lewis Williams has arrived from Andover New Street and his performances have caught the eye in this division. William's came through Eastleigh's youth academy. Another forward option is another prospect a little way into his senior career, Max Bustamante. He has interested many in recent years, Sholing was home for him last term and Basingstoke before that.

Marquee signing, ex EFL player Josh McQuoid from Weymouth though, has been a long term absentee. The 36 year old, formerly a striker/winger, is more commonly used in midfield these days.

A full Northern Ireland international, he played in the Championship for; Millwall, Burnley and Bournemouth. Making 195 appearances in the EFL overall, with Peterborough, Coventry, Luton and Stevenage other destinations. Dropping into the Non League, he was at Weymouth over Two spells, Aldershot similarly and briefly with Torquay.

Creative midfielder Josh Carmichael was at Bournemouth as a  Ten year old, in 2004. He progressed through the age group side's and was capped by Scotland Under 16's and Under 19's, going on to play 4 league games in the EFL. After being released the gifted Carmichael who is now 31 was tracked by a lot of top non league clubs.

His service's have been acquired by Weymouth when they were playing higher up the pyramid, Torquay, Poole, Salisbury, Gosport and Totton. He is a wily operator and is another to remain from the previous campaign. This is his Third season with the Club.

Drew Eccott-Young was also part of the side, last term. The midfielder, who played for Dorchester during the 2023/24 campaign is a combative performer, who is tidy in possession and joined Eastleigh, when his Senior career was in its infancy.

After playing a couple of games for Eastleigh in his formative year's, Cameron Munn who was with Hamworthy United for a number of season's has gradually established himself as an integral part of Tim Sill's team. A good manipulator of the ball, he is close to making 100 appearances in all competition's for the visitor's.

A constant for the Magpies’ is left back and captain, Sam Jackson. The ex Poole, Dorchester and Bashley man has played over 100 times in the Southern League over the past Three seasons, for the Dorset team and is a key player with his strong positional sense, dependability and calmness in possession.

Sam Roberts after an injury lay off is back in the heart of the visitors defence. He was a big player for Salisbury, has a good football pedigree and plenty of knowhow. A strong communicator and organiser on the pitch, the centre back is very much a leader for Tim Sill's side. Gosport, Totton and Winchester are all previous clubs.

Fellow centre back Tyler Edmonson is a young recruit from Bashley. Coming through the ranks at Southampton, he was on loan at Sholing and on his release from the Saints’, the in demand Edmondson signed for Eastleigh last term.

Close to 100 Southern League games for Wimborne, right back Billy Walker has been integral to the Magpies’ plans for the past three seasons. A real workhorse and a tenacious competitor, Walker was formerly with fellow Dorset side Hamworthy United.

Seventeen year old  Goalkeeper Oscar Abbotson is on a youth loan from Southampton and played his first game in senior football for Wimborne earlier in the season, whilst still 16. An unfortunate season ending injury to established number one Cameron Plain back in December, has given the highly regarded Saints prospect, a chance to stake his claim.

Pride will be at stake for the Yellows’ and first and foremost they will need to compete better than they did on Saturday, if they are to run a Wimborne side with achieving safety very much on their minds, close on Tuesday evening. So let's get down to the ground and support the lad’s.