Robins Host Tivvy for Trophy Opener

Match Preview

FA Trophy First Round Qualifying

Saturday August 29th

Bideford v Tiverton Town

3pm KIck OFf

At The Sports Ground

Darren Holmes (Words)

Viv Curtis (Pictures)

Cup football fever continues this weekend and it’s another all Devon affair, when Bideford host the Yellows’ in the first qualifying round of the FA Trophy. Whilst the Yellows' squeezed past Ivybridge at the Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium in the FA Cup last Saturday, the Robins were not having the best of days, in a 7-2 loss at Shaftesbury.

Former Robin, Finn Roberts, looks to keep up his goal involvement record.

It would be very foolish to read anything into that result and the motivation of a local derby and a cup tie should be all that’s needed to focus on, for the teams and coaching staff in this game. Asa Hall and Sean Joyce have been around long enough to know that it is far too early to forecast how each club will fare this season.

The history books tell us that the last match that the two sides played against each other in this cup competition, ended in victory to Bideford. That was in the 2010/11 season, when the scoreline was 4-2 at the Sports Ground.

In the most recent competitive fixture, Bideford won a St Luke's Bowl game by a solitary goal on home soil in 2022 and in an FA Cup tie Tiverton were triumphant, 2-0 at Ladysmead with Jared Lewington and Chris Shephard troubling the scorers, back in 2020.

The longevity of manager Joyce’s career means that he was in the dugout on each of the cup occasions mentioned. An ex Torquay favourite as a player, he is a much respected and admired manager, who has started his 28th season overseeing the Robins

Talking of popular Gull’s players, Asa Hall will be very aware that the Yellows' will need to raise their game if they are to progress in the Trophy. They were the better side for long periods against Ivybridge in the FA Cup, though despite Owen Howe’s dramatic winner, it wasn’t the most convincing of victories.

Present players who have played for both include; Billy Tucker who was absent due to prior commitments last Saturday, Louie Slough, Finn Roberts, Owen Howe, Ed Palmer and the injured Louis Jagger Cane have all played for the North Devon side, Javan Wright’s spell with the Yellows' was a very good one. Talented ball player Faren Simons was also with us in the 2024/25 season.

Tucker made 185 appearances for the home side, scoring 50 goals and the skilful midfielder made his debut as a teenager for them in the 2012/13 campaign. Slough joined the Robins at the backend of the 2023/24 season from Taunton and was a mainstay of their defence for 97 games, until his move to Tivvy, this term.

Wide midfield-man Roberts was also with Bideford at the same time as Slough, though played the entire 23/24 campaign and before moving to Tiverton, the productive Roberts played 131 times over three seasons. Owen Howe had a prolific stint in the 2013/14 season for Bideford.

Ed Palmer was with the Robins' during the 2015/16 campaign and Louis Jagger Cane played 17 times for our hosts across the 21/22 and 22/23 campaigns. Assistant manager Steve Orchard also played under Sean Joyce, during his playing days at the Sports Ground.

Not really knowing the strength of the opposition that Biddy have faced so far, a winless start could be misleading. An exit in the FA Cup away at Falmouth, a home draw in the league against Exmouth and that loss at Shaftesbury though will mean they will be determined to try and address that on Saturday.

Ed Palmer will be assessed ahead of this one, after going off injured against Ivybridge and the Yellows’ will be hoping to have Aiden Horne available to play a full part in this FA Trophy game. There hasn’t been much in any of Tiverton’s four games so far and goals have been at a premium.

A healthy contingent of supporters are expected to be travelling to North Devon to support the team, as Asa Hall’s men look to make another successful start in another cup competition.