Facing Up to the Past

Exmouth Town v Tiverton Town

Tuesday, July 16 . 7.30pm 

AN intriguing encounter beckons for the Yellows when they visit the seaside this evening.

Exmouth Town’s convincing wins against Hallen and Torrington, separated by a narrow 4-3 home loss to Plymouth Parkway, implies testing opponents.

The Town's long-serving manager Kevin Hill is joined in the dug-out by Dave Pearse, a puzzling managerial casualty at Bridgwater last season after been sacked whilst in automatic promotion contention from the Western League into the Southern League.

Pearse has brought a number of Bridgwater players with him, including sought-after striker Jack Thorne, although more than a matter of interest is the sizeable ex-Tiverton contingent.

Club legends the Landricombe brothers - heavily prolific Levi and central midfielder/defender Mike, who both served our club with such distinction - are joined in the Exmouth squad by record-appearance maker and fellow club legend Tom Gardner, a wonderful servant and Mr Dependable in previous Yellows’ backlines,

Tom Bath will forever be remembered for his play-off goal in our promotion season to the Southern League Premier Division and Louis Morison was a talented fixture in our midfield for a few seasons. Fellow Exeter City trainee and his good mate Nelson Iseguan, a very special player on his day, also had some telling moments as a Yellow.

Joe Belsten, another former Grecian, was hugely popular amongst Tivvy fans and is a very underrated footballer, whose all action displays and always playing for the shirt cemented his appeal. Chris Wright's displays between the sticks were often pivotal and Isaac McCue and Callum Shipton have also pulled on a Tiverton shirt.

Our slender reverse to Exeter City gave Tivvy supporters positive food for thought and there were heartening introductions to players like Jay Murray, Asa Hall and Jack Carter.

With game-time and building up fitness a priority, this will undoubtedly be a keenly contested affair. Obviously, the previous Friday’s cancelled game with Cullompton, because of a fatal accident on the M5, means we were not able to take to the pitch as planned, but our hearts go out to those affected by that tragedy.

The new look Yellows’ performance here will be interesting and, once again, another 90 minutes will be valuable in gaining match fitness.

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