Pre-Season Preview: Cullompton Rangers v Tiverton Town

Pre-Season Match Preview

Cullompton Rangers v Tiverton Town

Saturday August 1st

3pm KIck off

AT Adopstar Park

To finish their pre-season campaign, the Yellows travel to neighbours Cullompton Rangers for a local derby. Familiar faces will greet them, with ex-player, assistant manager and caretaker Manager Richard Pears taking care of the side.

Behind the scenes, legendary former manager Martyn Rogers is in a commercial role with Cully. His achievements go without saying, and it will be good to see both.

Our hosts have had two marquee friendlies in pre- season, hosting Torquay and Scott Rogers’ Weston Super Mare. The South West Peninsula East side, also will have played three teams, two steps higher when their pre-season reaches its conclusion on Saturday; Willand, Exmouth and ourselves.

The club will have a growing belief, with a third-place finish last term, that Western League football is definitely within the realms of possibility. 

Tiverton’s busy preparations ahead of the new season saw them narrowly defeat Ilminster, who ply their trade in the same division as Cully, on Tuesday evening. This will be the Yellows' eighth game.

No one can really assess how well pre-seasons have gone until a little way into the competitive fixtures, but there have been promising signs, with good individual and team performances, for when it all gets underway at Hungerford next weekend.

Asa Hall and his coaching staff, which includes former Cullompton manager Steve Orchard, will have in mind the starting Eleven for that game, but opportunities will be given on Saturday afternoon to stake final claims for a place in that team. Others will have to guard against complacency, in thinking that they have done enough.

Current first teamer Aiden Horne was a prolific and popular part of our hosts’ team before moving to the Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium last term, and he will come face to face with his brother Luke Horne, who is a talented and key defender for Richard Pear’s side.

Former Cully player, Aiden Horne rounding the keeper for his goal in our opening pre-season win away to Roman Glass St George. (Viv Curtis)

Experienced midfielder Adam Bilcock came through Exeter’s academy and has a very good range of passing and know-how. Previously he played for the Yellows, Barnstaple, Exmouth and Crediton. The 35-year-old’s footballing travels have also taken him to Australia, where he was with Robina City.

The White brothers Lloyd and Lucas White are integral members of Cully’s squad and both previously were at Elmore. Lloyd is a skilful attacking midfielder with an eye for a goal, and Lucas White is an accomplished and dependable defender who often captains the side. 

Josh Coles, a forward/ winger who combines pace, trickery, assists and goals to good effect, was at Okehampton before, and Cameron Webb is often on target. Known for his spectacular finishes, the forward is a pivotal performer.

Callum Chivers is a striker who played under First team coach David Steele at Willand. The talented front man joined the home side after a standout season for Bishops Lydeard. He has also worn the colours of Bridgwater.

Momentum is perhaps the most underrated thing in football, and despite this not being a full-blown competitive fixture, going into the start of the season in good spirits, full of positives and with a strong mentality cannot be overlooked.