HUNGERFORD AWAIT TIVVY FOR FIRST TEST OF THE SEASON

Saturday August 8th

Hungerford Town v Tiverton Town

3pm Kick Off

At Bulpit Lane

Darren Holmes (Words) & Viv Curtis (Images)

So here we are, ready for the kick off to the new season. Both ourselves and our hosts will have experimented with different formations, tactics and personnel in pre-season, but with preparations complete, it’s now over to the players and the coaching staff, come 3pm, Saturday.

Louis Jagger Cane in his first outing back in yellow away to Bridgwater in pre season.

The corresponding fixture last August, when the sides were playing in Step 3, finished with Hungerford just coming out on top. 2-1 was the score that day with Louis Jagger Cane Tiverton’s scorer from range, in a game that the Yellows’ had had the better of the play, but not of the end result. Tivvy did however beat them 2-0 at home.

Danny Robinson's team warmed up for this first encounter, away at Step 3 opponents Stratford Town. They triumphed 2-1 and remained unbeaten during pre-season. At the same time, Tiverton were edging out Cullompton by the same scoreline.

The Yellows' have announced that three players who have been integral parts of the squad during pre-season, have all signed for Tivvy. Midfielder Aaron Wellington, attacking midfield player Caleb Pryce-Hall and returning forward Louis Jagger Cane are all committing to the club.

Asa Hall’s side’s open training session at the Slee Blackwell Stadium on Tuesday evening saw them put the finishing touches to their prep, and they will be hoping to make a positive start.

There are no major injury concerns that I’ve been made aware of, so Tiverton should have plenty of players to choose from.

Crusaders’ manager Robinson who has been through many differing emotions in football will of course have been devastated by relegation, but will have very much embraced the challenge of trying to return the club to its not so distant, football glory days.

Along with his coaching staff, he has undertaken a recruitment drive that has seen no fewer than Fifteen new signings, many of whom are proven at this level and some like Ryan Clarke have operated very successfully higher up the football pyramid.

Clarke was Oxford United number one over quite a few seasons and has made in excess of 200 EFL appearances. Additionally utilising his impressive glovework at Forest Green, Bath City and Salisbury City. He was first choice at all three. Clarke has a very good chance of completing 800 games. The 44 year old has returned from Corsham.

Inspirational and wholehearted midfielder James Clark has been a top quality performer in Steps 2 and 3 during a fruitful senior career. The 30 year old who made a big impression in a previous spell with Hungerford, arrives after three strong seasons with Basingstoke.

Another exciting acquisition is gifted, quick footed winger/attacking midfielder, Nana Owusu. A product of Reading’s academy, the 28 year old has played a lot of his football in National League South. The sides he represented at that level were; Oxford City, Maidenhead, Hemel Hempstead and Dulwich Hamlet. Havant & Waterlooville were his last club.

Heavily involved in pre-season, Centre Forward NMamdi Nwachuku has an outstanding goal record over his career. The 31 year old former Reading and Colchester academy player is pacy, powerful and has that knack of being in the right place at the right time. He was with Uxbridge last term.

Gael Kileba is a tricky winger/attacking midfielder, who is now 23 years old. He started at an early age in Tottenham's academy and then spent 6 years at West Ham where he was a regular member of their Under 18 side.

Another bright prospect to arrive is technical midfielder Brad Smith. Smith was contracted to National South team Hemel Hempstead, starting his senior career in the 2022/23 season. He has first team experience there and Southern League experience in loan spells for; Hitchin, Kings Langley and Royston.

Glancing through the Hungerford players that have returned for another season. Seasoned performers with plenty of pedigree, centre back pairing Matt Berry-Hargreaves and Jordan Rose give the Crusaders a solid and physical backbone, with years of know-how.

Berry-Hargreaves begins an eighth successive season at Bulpit Lane and he was very much part of the side that plied their trade in National League South. He began his senior career at the club, before being scouted by Oxford United where he was a young pro.

Rose has a big physical presence and is a commanding central defender who was an EFL player with Stockport County. Powerful and with good distribution, he has carved out an impressive non league career. The ex National League player is 36 and has played for Weymouth and Havant & Waterlooville when both sides were higher in the pyramid. Rose spent time in Southampton’s and Bournemouth’s academies.

Ramarani Medford-Smith is a talented defender who is established in Hungerford’s backline. Highly thought of at the club, the full back is strong defensively and a skilful runner when bursting forward. The 27 year old was professionally contracted to Reading and as a loanee played for Wealdstone and Torquay.

Midfielder George Smith is a tenacious, energetic player with good footballing attributes.  He has played over 160 times for the Crusaders, beginning in 2019/20 and this will be his sixth campaign at Bulpit Lane, having played for Thatcham in the 2020/21 season.

One game should carry little weight in how both sides fare in this division, however they will share the intention of hitting the ground running or at the very least giving themselves a performance to build on.