Match Preview: Dorchester Town Vs Tiverton Town in Yellows Return to Southern League Action
After more cup success on Saturday, The Yellows' face familiar opposition in the shape of the Magpies on Tuesday evening. Our hosts fell at the first hurdle in the FA Trophy at the hands of Larkhall, so weren’t in action at the weekend. However, they did progress in the FA Cup. Navigating themselves through a tricky tie at Brixham well, in running out 3-2 winners.
Both sides experienced the pains of relegation in the last campaign and are in a state of rebuilding. Having made good progress in the cup competitions, Asa Hall’s men will arrive at the Avenue Stadium with good memories of their last visit. A Louis Jagger Cane brace fired them to a 3-l victory then.
Jagger Cane remains an absentee following the injury he suffered versus Barnstaple, although the team will very much be hoping that they will make a positive impact in their return to the league stuff. The quick turnaround in games could see the coaching staff rotate their squad.
Tiverton will be without the suspended Finn Roberts too. Although with no fresh injury concerns to report, the coaching staff will be hoping to have plenty of bodies available for this midweek fixture. Competition for places in the starting eleven is hottening up, which should always be viewed as a positive thing.
Always a tough place to visit, with a passionate home support in attendance at the Avenue Stadium, the team will once again have to rise to the occasion. The stronger mentality that has been apparent this year, will be tested under the lights, in what has become a regular fixture.
Glenn Howe's side appear to have put their opening day 5-1 defeat at Weymouth, behind them. They have a 100% record since and have nine points from four games. A series of departures during pre-season doesn’t seem to have seriously dampened Dorchester’s ambition to swiftly return to the Southern League Premier South.
A Club stalwart and defensive lynchpin at Poole, Will Spetch moved to the Magpies in the 2023/24 season and has already played a century of games, having made his senior debut for the Dolphins back in the 2011/12 campaign. His qualities and influence shouldn’t be underestimated, with over 500 senior games under his belt being testament to that.
Midfielder Corby Moore is another player to have followed ex Poole manager and current director of football Tom Killick to the Avenue stadium. Often a driving force and pivotal player, the midfield schemer has vast pedigree. Spending his youth career at Southampton, he briefly broke into the first team, in 2013
The 32 year old has also played in the National League for Forest Green after a spell in the USA. His non league career includes National South stints with Bishops Stortford and Chelmsford City. However, it’s the 242 games he played for Poole that gained him his impressive reputation.
Ollie Haste’s main playing position is left back, but he can play anywhere on the left side, is very adaptable and can slot in at centre back. The technical 22 yr old Barnstaple born defender, was a semi-pro at Yeovil, and a loanee at Barnstaple, Truro and then Dorchester. He permanently signed for the 2024/25 season and has played more than 100 Southern League games with the Magpies.
Another player to have vast experience and pedigree is defensive midfielder, 28 year old Matt Buse. Providing a defensive shield and a talented distributor of the ball, Buse has previously played for; Weymouth, Torquay, Taunton, Truro, Bath, Wealdstone and Gosport Borough.
There were many comings and goings in the close season, but Howes and Killick have brought many exciting signings to the club. Matty Burrows, a gifted wideman or goalscoring forward who impressed against us when with Wimborne, has arrived from Weymouth. He has started with a bang at his new club and in all competitions has 4 goals from 7 games.
Ethan Taylor also arrived with the new influx of players and the striker is a much admired goal getter, who is a couple of goals shy of 100 senior goals. Many of them came at Totton, across five seasons. The 24 year old returned to his first club Gosport last season and is a Southampton academy product. He has found the net 5 times this term.
Classy midfielder Tom Purrington and Wideman Jayden Nielsen were both with Taunton in the previous campaign. The creative Purrington played for the Yellows’ in the 2022/23 season, having been at Dorchester the season before. This is actually his third spell with the Magpies, having been a loanee at the Avenue Stadium, whilst he was a young pro with Plymouth Argyle. He also had a season with Plymouth Parkway.
Nielsen is a tricky winger, who played for Football Director Lee Lashenko at Bristol Manor Farm. Making in excess of 100 appearances there, he moved onto the Peacocks in the 2024/25 season and had a loan spell with Portishead in the previous campaign.
Arriving from Bideford, the versatile Jack Windsor is a good technical player. Previously in Torquay’s academy, the energetic schemer briefly trialled with the Yellows' a couple of pre-seasons ago and has also worn the colours of Tavistock and Willand.
Defender Harvey Bertrand has returned to the club this term, having had a couple of seasons away at Bashley. The ex Bournemouth youngster spent two full seasons with the Magpies, before a brief stint at Poole in the 2023/24 campaign. The technical defender has also represented Wimborne.
Goalkeeper Ryan Hall was a popular loanee back in the 2022/23 season, having spent the earlier part of his senior career at Aldershot. The highly thought of prospect became a permanent signing for Gosport last term and is Dorchester’s number one in this one.
It would be easy for Tiverton to get swept up in their cup exploits, but they will know they should focus on one game at a time and after a mixed bag of results in the league so far, there should be a determination and desire to make positive results a habit.
