Yellows Look to Get Mo on Their Side
- Darren Holmes
- Feb 9, 2024
- 2 min read
Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South
Saturday, February 10
Tiverton Town v Winchester City
The Ian Moorcroft Stadium . 3pm
THE remainder of February will serve as a good indicator of the task ahead: a decent return of points will give our survival hopes a significant boost, but a poor set of results will leave our fate in the balance.
It is 11 days since these two sides played each other and that will be fresh in the mind of both sets of players and respective managers Leigh Robinson and Craig Davis.
It was first blood to Winchester, so it will be interesting to see how we approach this game. In that fixture, an early Joe Parker goal was not quite enough as second-half goals from Tommy Wright and Pip Nolan gave the hosts a deserved win.
Last Saturday, they entertained league leaders Chesham and succumbed to a 3-0 defeat. Then, in midweek, they faced Swindon Supermarine, cancelling out a two-goal deficit with two goals in the second half to draw the game 2-2.
The result had a bearing on the league table as Supermarine moved out of the bottom four and were replaced by the Yellows. It is delicately balanced down the bottom end of the table and, with quite a high percentage of those lowly sides in good form and picking up positive results, it is vital that we do the same.
It is not that we have played badly at home, but not being able to get over the line in turning draws into victories is a defining factor in why we are in a relegation battle. The Citizens, as they are known, sit in relative comfort just above halfway and have had a decent campaign this term.
Goalkeeper Luke Cairney is one of the strongest in the Southern League Premier South; winger Trevor Caborn has caught the eye; and striker Tommy Wright has a wealth of non-league experience and is proven at this level. The players' early season form saw them pushing for the play-offs.
Leigh Robinson will hope to be able to call on the goalscoring talents of Parker after illness, but it has been really heartening to see the emergence of Jack Rice as an out and out goalscorer as the season has progressed. The Yellows will take to the field on Saturday without their captain Jamie Richards, who is suspended, though this will give others a chance to impress as the manager makes alterations.
If we can secure victory, it will mean that we have won three in four and that will be huge in gathering momentum, with some big games ahead in the coming weeks. Last week's terrific win and display at Hendon should mean we play with a bit of a spring in our step.
This game may yet fall foul of the weather, but with everyone hoping it happens. I am convinced that the Tivvy fans are all looking forward to this match and getting behind their team. We cannot rely on other teams slipping up as, at the moment, a lot of the division's form sides are in and around us.
Our destiny is in our own hands.
