Match Preview: Tiverton Town v Ilminster Town
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Match Preview
Tiverton Town v Ilminster Town
Tuesday July 28th
7.45 pm Kick Off
At The Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium
Darren Holmes
Tiverton play their final home game of pre-season against South West Peninsula side Ilminster Town, this Tuesday evening. The Somerset side will be our last opponents at home, before facing Barnstaple at the Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium on Tuesday, August 11th.
A final chance to see the Yellows in pre-season will be when Asa Hall’s side visit Cullompton Rangers on Saturday and then the league campaign starts away at Hungerford the following weekend.
Turning our attention to the visitors, they finished seventh last season in the South West Peninsula East section. In charge of team affairs is Jason “Paddy Behan, who has also had other coaching appointments with Street, Chard and Bridport. This will be the third season under his management.
In this era where Information is widely available, the club have kept their cards close to their chests with squad announcements and the only confirmed signing is the retained Jordan Lovibond. A 26-year-old, pacy and direct winger or centre forward who is very popular with the club’s fan base.
Though interestingly Defender Neil Martin and Wideman Ed Butcher, two players who have spent time with the Yellows’ both took part in the previous campaign. Martin appears to have re-signed for Paulton Rovers though and Butcher was on loan from Exmouth.
Their goalkeeper last term was Shay Allen, who previously established himself as a Western League keeper with Wellington and Nailsea and Tickenham. He has been The Blues first choice and is a highly rated shot- stopper.
Set-Piece specialist Lee Sweet can play to good effect in a number of positions, but plays mostly as a defender. The former captain has been a long serving and key player for the visitors.
Josh Phillips is a technical talent and although often listed as a defender, has gone on many goalscoring sprees, suggesting he plays further forward and has also chipped in with a fair few assists, too.
A player who has been a constant over quite a few seasons is Taylor Jefferson. Primarily a skilful winger who has come up with a few spectacular strikes whilst at the club. He is popular with the fans and a goal threat, either as provider or scorer. He produced a stunning overhead kick finish against the champion’s Bovey Tracey.
Asa Hall’s men will be looking to deliver a strong display. With full match fitness now achieved by many and favoured formation’s explored, there will be opportunities to get those still short of match time up to speed. Greater attention will now be devoted to tactical detail.
Asa Hall, Steve Orchard and David Steele will still be tweaking the proposed line up for the season opener at Hungerford and It will be intriguing to see how well the side functions after the narrow loss at Taunton, because the second half of that game was very encouraging.
Personnel changes are also anticipated on Tuesday evening, with Five players missing on Saturday.
