Tivvy look back to summer fun as they hunt for a double over Dorset magpies.

Match Preview

Tiverton Town v Dorchester Town

Tuesday February 24^th

7.45pm Kick Off

At The Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium

This re-scheduled game from December will pitchTiverton against Dorchester. A lot has happened since the side's last faced each other at the Avenue Stadium, when the Yellows’ defeated the Magpies,in arguably their most complete performance of the season, back in August. Personnel changes aplentysince that encounter have occurred on both sides, on an evening when Louis Jagger Cane scored twice in a 3-1 win.

Tivvy will take heart from a slender loss in Hampshire on Saturday against a rejuvenated Havant & Waterlooville. Leading twice in a game where they eventually were edged out 3-2. Aiden Horne assisted our first goal, which was tucked away by Gabe Billington and joined him on the score sheet with a close range finish. Our two new signing’s centre forward Ryan Crawford and Yeovil loaneedefender Jaydon Biss were both second half substitutes.

The Youthful Tiverton squad has also included England College’s and Under 18 player Karim Coulibaly in recent week’s and there is still many talented player’s that remain at the Slee Blackwell Stadium despite other’s moving on. Tuesday’s match is an interesting one. Tiverton are rooted to the bottom of the table, but as Saturday suggests still remain competitive, Dorchester are involved in a dogfight above us to stay in this division.

Point’s are at a premium for the Magpies, for whom a victory under the light’s at the Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium could see them move out of the bottom Four. In the latest round of fixtures they came back from a Two goal deficit, after Gosport were reduced to Ten men, midway through the second half. Two late goal’s securing a precious draw.

Tom Killick a man who has been a managerial giant at this level, moved upstairs and coveted ex EFL player Wes Fogden has taken up the role of interim manager. However, prior commitment’s have seen First team coach Brian Churchill fill in in the last couple of matches and he was joined in the dugoutby Shaun North who coincidentally is the previous manager of Havant & Waterlooville.

Joe Parker will be re-aquainting himself with his old surrounding’s and the ex-Gloucester City and EFLplayer for Newport County is a threat that Asa Hall will know all about. I’m sure he will receive a good reception, as he returns to the scene of many inspirational displays for the Yellow’s. In a rich vein of form, he has Two goals from his last Three league games.

Forward, Jadyn Crosbie has spent the majority of this season with Dorchester, on loan from Torquay and is a rising talent. The 22 year old started his senior career at Mangotsfield where his performances attracted the Gulls, who signed him last term. Although, he spent the majority of it playing for league rivals Gloucester City.

Wayne Robinson is another attacking threat. On his day he is a very dangerous attacker who has played for the likes of Salisbury and Sholing. Powerful, pacy and with good feet, the 24-year-old has the ability to get the Magpies’ up the pitch very quickly.

Luke Pardoe is one of a number of players that has aPoole association and previously worked with ex boss Killick, when he managed the Dolphins’. The striker who came through Bournemouth’s academy and spent four seasons at Poole is a talented marksman and has been with the Magpies since the 2023/24 campaign.

Dorchester’s midfield includes Jack Dickson, a top performer in this division. A player who was with Poole for over a decade, separated briefly by a stint at Weymouth. His senior playing days began when the Dolphins were playing higher up the non-league pyramid. A valuable asset at this level, Dickson has been a Magpie since the 2023/24 season.

Attacking midfielder Tom Smith was a firm favourite at Bath City in National League South, having previously played in the EFL for Swindon Town and Cheltenham. He made over 200 appearances for the Romans’ and was with Taunton Town last term. The dangerous and creative Smith has also had a stint at Dagenham & Redbridge.

Northern Irish Midfielder/winger Marcus Daws is another ex-Dolphin and was prior to that at Bournemouth. Daws is another to have signed for Dorchester in the 2023/24 campaign. Some time away the following season at Totton was short and he has been a permanent member of the Magpies squad since.

A seasoned player in this division is schemer Corby Moore. The 32-year-old midfielder was part of Southampton’s Premier League squad in 2012/13 and also made a solitary appearance in the EFL for Forest Green in the 2015/16 season. He played 220 league games for Poole and initially began his Poole day’s a step higher in the football pyramid. The inspirational Moore is another to have made the move in the 23/24 season.

The Magpies’ secured the services of 24 capped Northern Irish International Lee Hodson from Totton at the backend of January, in a month’s loan deal. The Full back/midfielder wasn’t part of the matchday squad for the Gosport encounter. 

The 34 year old’s CV includes playing 83 times inthe Championship for Watford, making 17 appearances North of the border with Rangers and other spells with Brentford, MK Dons and Gillingham in the EFL. In the Scottish Premiership he was with St Mirren, Hamilton Academicals and Kilmarnock who he also played in the Scottish Championship for, along with Partick Thistle.National League Eastleigh is where Hodson was playing in recent season’s.

Exceeding well over 100 games for Weymouth earlier in his playing days, the cultured midfield playmaker Cameron Murray is another to have played for Poole. It was in the 22/23 and 23/24campaign’s that he was a Dolphin. Last term he was a Gosport Borough player; this term he is a Magpie.

The extensive knowledge and pedigree of Will Spetch is of huge value. He is sixteen seasons’ in from the beginning of his senior career in the 2011/12 campaign and 34-year-old Spetch was a mainstay of Poole’s backline for thirteen of those seasons. Quite a few of those were spent under the outgoing Tom Killick and the two were reunited again during the 2023/24 campaign.

Defender’s Ollie Haste and Harvey Wright are established at this level. Haste is 21 and his formative year’s were spent with Yeovil and heenjoyed a loan spell with Truro whilst he was there.Comfortable in possession he first arrived on loan from the Glovers’, before making the move a permanent one, last term. Wright is a strong central defender and was a key player for Wimborne lastseason and was with Poole prior to that.

28-year-old Gerard Benfield is Dorchester’s number one. A talented keeper at this level, Weymouth, Salisbury and Wimborne have all called on his services in the past. The in-demand keeper, permanently moved to the Avenue Stadium in the close season, after being on loan from Weymouth in the previous campaign.

The disruptive nature of the weather has been a factor with Tiverton definitely being one of the affected area’s and it’s been hugely frustrating. A drier spell will hopefully mean that we all can return to the Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium for our Football fix on Tuesday night. So let’s get down to the ground to support the lads!