Match Preview: Shaftesbury V Tiverton Town
The Yellows’ will hope to have kick-started their league campaign after Tuesday night’s uplifting triumph against Hartpury, at home under the lights. They will travel to Dorset to play Shaftesbury, a side who occupy 13th place. It’s another six pointer with the opportunity for 15th placed Tiverton to pass their hosts on stairs or for the Rockies’ to put a bit of daylight between them and us.
It was perhaps Tivvy’s least convincing performance of six successive games on home soil in a football sense, but the most convincing mentality wise, as they showed the application needed to grind out a win, when not at our best. The aim will be to build on this rather than continuing stuttering results.
Both Owen Howe and Aiden Horne have both been on the score-sheet in the two previous matches, but will be all too aware that the injured Dan Koita and Louis Jagger Cane will be available in the upcoming weeks, to compete for starting places in the forward line.
Winger Josh Bissett has made an excellent beginning to life at the Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium and behind him there is plenty of competition between players, in making the starting line up. However, this is a much healthier situation than having limited options.
The ambitious Dorset club parted company with the manager they tasked with overseeing the 2026/27 season Josh Staunton in late August and reinstalled previous manager Jim Milligan in the role. In an unsettling period, some players and coaches left the club, but Milligan who has additionally managed at Bemerton Heath Harlequins still has a talented squad at his disposal.
There is plenty of experience and pedigree in the dressing room for the Dorset side that is almost 140 years old. They have been big spenders in this decade and brought some big name players to Cockrams, their home ground and play on a 3G surface.
Brett Pitman, a prolific and talented striker in the EFL for; Bournemouth, Bristol City, Ipswich, Portsmouth, Swindon and Bristol Rovers, scored 182 goals in the football league and made almost 550 appearances in the process.
The nomadic Pitman is in a third stint with Shaftesbury and as you can imagine is even at the age of 38, a much in demand player. In two seasons playing in the Wessex Premier division he notched 100 goals over the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns for the Rockies and Porchester and was also with Dorchester. He has three goals from four games, so far.
Dawid Regula is a Polish born striker who has been a notable front man in this division for Larkhall. Last season saw him on target 23 times for the Larks in their league campaign. Regula began his English senior career at Mangotsfield and Hungerford and Melksham have also acquired the technical marksman’s services.
A familiar name amongst our host’s roster of players is winger Alefe Santos. 31 year old Santos was briefly with Tivvy during the 2023/24 season. The Brazilian has unquestionable technical ability that saw him play in the EFL for; Bristol Rovers, Notts County and Yeovil. Three seasons as a pro with Derby County, yielded a solitary appearance.
A clever manipulator of the ball, he has non league spells at the likes of; Eastleigh, Aldershot, Weymouth, Chippenham and Gloucester and Poole. The much travelled Santos, first signed for Shaftesbury during the 2024/25 campaign, after starting that season with Hungerford.
Midfielder Cameron Murray is another player who brings pedigree to the Rockies’ ranks. The creative schemer turned out over 100 times for Weymouth and was with League Two York City at the beginning of career and made one first team appearance.
The sought after midfielder has been a top performer at step three recently. Plying his trade at Poole, Dorchester and Gosport. Having also played for Dorchester earlier on, Stalybridge Celtic and FC United of Manchester have been other destinations.
Accompanying Murray in midfield is the highly regarded young talent, Ollie Hughes. His formative years were spent at Exeter City and on his release from the Grecians', he joined Yeovil. Briefly with Plymouth Parkway, he put pen to paper on a deal with Shaftesbury this term.
Harry Morgan has gained mass Southern League experience at Wimborne. Serving them for 160 games over four seasons, the cultured midfield player joined the Rockies in the 2025/26 season and has become a valued member of the home side’s squad.
Central defender Charlie Rayfield often captains the side and is well known to manager Milligan, having been part of his Bemerton Heath Harlequins side and played for him in his first spell with the club. Leading by example, 27 year old Rayfield’s senior days began at Salisbury.
Grandson of Harry Redknapp, defender Harry Redknapp Jnr, is a product of Bournemouth’s academy and his career was blighted by a long term injury. The 20 year old signed on for Shaftesbury this term, after a loan stint at Dorchester and a short period with Bashley, that was cut short, through serious injury.
In possession of the gloves is gifted young stopper Oscar Glover. Coming through Bournemouth’s youth system, he is on loan from Bashley at the moment.
Can the Yellows' make a fruitful visit to Dorset or will a very capable Shaftesbury come out on top, in this encounter? A positive result here will prove that we have turned a corner. If the best version of Tiverton is on display at the weekend, Asa Hall’s men will definitely be in with a shout.
