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Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South

Tiverton Town v Taunton Town

Thursday, December 26 . 3pm . Ian Moorcroft Stadium

On Boxing Day, Tiverton will renew their local football rivalry with Taunton. There is always an edge to these fixtures and, as this popular serving has been off of the menu since the Peacocks achieved promotion at the end of the 2021-22 season, it has undoubtedly been eagerly anticipated.

Fuelling the fire will be that the instigator for Taunton's promotion to National League South will be in the Yellows’ dugout. Rob Dray, along with two of his backroom staff –Assistant Manager Connor Sidley-Adams and Physio Tony Cornish – will be overseeing Tiverton’s team affairs.

A parting of the ways at the end of a testing season last term, culminating in relegation, means that he will be pitting his wits against Richard Luffman, the former Cribbs’ manager.

Alfie Moulden moved to Taunton in the summer from the Yellows and Evander Grubb and Toby Down have made the reverse journey, although the former has since moved on.

Just to add a bit of spice to the game, last year’s Supporters' Player of the Year Jack Rice has recently arrived at Wordsworth Drive for a month's loan from Chorley. Taunton midfielder Tom Purrington also spent a season with us, a few campaigns ago.

Nat Jarvis and Marcus Day were both Peacock players under Rob Dray and his captain Nick Grimes is another to have worn the Yellow of Tiverton who is back in Taunton colours.

This promises to be a hotly contested affair and one that both sets of fans are looking forward to.

It has been a period of rebuilding for the Somerset side and their victory against Poole on Saturday came as a welcome boost after a five-game winless run. 

Jack Rice (centre) will renew acquaintances with former team-mates Dylan Jones and Joe Parker (right)

There have been lots of comings and goings after a major recruitment drive in pre season from Luffman. One notable acquisition was Tom Smith from Bath City and the gifted midfielder has provided goals and assists aplenty for our visitors. Smith, who played in the EFL for Swindon Town at the beginning of his football journey, made nearly 250 National League South appearances for Bath.

With Cheltenham, Dagenham & Redbridge and a spell in Ireland with Waterford Town also on his cv, the 26-year-old is a marquee signing amongst the hoards of other players to have arrived at Wordsworth Drive.

Defender Eddie Jones was an early-season signing from National League South Chippenham and he has an impressive non-League footballing pedigree. A player who was also with Oxford City, he made nearly 200 appearances in the level above after the 33-year-old began his senior football career with Solihull Moors.

Centre-back Grimes is no stranger to the Ian Moorcroft Stadium, having started the 2019 season with Tiverton. His departure saw him join the Peacocks, where he became club captain. Brother of Swansea City midfielder Matt Grimes, the classy defender played for Truro City before his brief stay with us. A recent capture from Bath City, he has returned to Taunton after leaving them in the summer.

Owen Brain, the highly rated ex-Bristol Rovers trainee, is a goalscoring midfielder who was prolific with Bristol Manor Farm last season. He was previously at Merthyr and is a skilful technician.

Fellow midfielder Jayden Nielsen was also tempted away from Manor Farm and is establishing himself as a regular in Luffman’s line-ups.

Josh Gould is the first choice in goal and is a product of Swansea City’s Academy sides. The ex-Totton and Salisbury ’keeper is a talented gloveman. Chris Zebroski, the veteran EFL striker is another big name to be lured to Wordsworth Drive, featuring as a substitute against Poole after his arrival from Royal Wootton Bassett.

The Yellows will be looking to recapture the form that saw them beat both Basingstoke and Walton & Hersham.

The next three games that make up the Christmas Programme – Taunton (H), Chertsey (A) and Plymouth Parkway (A) – should have a strong bearing on the outcome of the Yellows’ 2024-25 league campaign.

On Boxing Day, the reunions will be interesting, the performance will be analysed, but the result will be important.

Both teams will take centre stage in this popular spectacle, come 3pm, in what promises to be an entertaining and combative encounter, when the 19th placed side taking on the 13th placed side.

Come and be part of what is expected to be a big crowd on Thursday afternoon.