Saturday, November 9 . Ian Moorcroft Stadium . 3pm
Tiverton Town v Hanwell Town
Pitching In Southern League, Premier Division South
THE Yellows are back in league action on Saturday as they pit their wits against a Hanwell side who we cannot overhaul position-wise because of goal difference, but who we can draw level with on points.
Rob Dray will welcome back the first-teamers that were rested in the entertaining 3-1 Devon St Luke’s Bowl game on Tuesday night and hope that others are fit to return.
The Geordies, as Hanwell are known, rescued a point at home against Winchester through a late Jordan Edwards penalty in their last match and Chris Moore’s side definitely has an unpredictability about them, although a 3-0 away win at Dorchester in mid-October suggests a side very capable at this level.
Veteran former EFL goalkeeper Sam Beasant, who is no stranger to Ladysmead in recent seasons, will most likely take the gloves and, although Eliot Benyon’s playing time is limited these days, the former Torquay United favourite does still feature for Saturday’s visitors. The 37-year-old forward played more than 200 games for Torquay and also spent time with Southend United, Wycombe Wanderers and Swindon Town.
Forward Edwards has eight league goals and the ex-Chesham man is proving a real handful for defences this term. The technical front man played briefly for Swindon Town in the early part of his senior career.
Tall and strong midfielder Chris Regis, who played professionally for Port Vale and can count Braintree Town, Torquay United and Truro City as clubs he has played for previously, actually began his formative years in the academies of Arsenal, Southampton and Colchester. The 26-year-old has amassed plenty of experience in non-League circles and has undoubted pedigree.
Defenders Harvey Seabrook and the solid mainstay of the Geordies’ backline, Dwayne Duncan, would provide a good base for any team playing at this level. Seabrook was at Harrow Borough during the last campaign and is a classy central defender, while Duncan has emerged as a popular figure with the London-based team. With more than 150 appearances and his presence showing the importance of continuity, he is a formidable competitor.
Hanwell boss Moore was a prolific striker for Dagenham & Redbridge and also had a brief EFL career with Brentford. He finished his playing days at the team he now manages. This is his sixth season in charge and he engineered Hanwell’s promotion into this division.
Tiverton’s Rob Dray era has got off to a promising start and he will look to put his own stamp on team matters more and more over the coming weeks. Talented winger Theo Jeremy has amicably moved on and I am sure we all wish him well in his next destination in football.
The new manager will have an awareness of the precarious nature of Tivvy’s league position, knowing that a positive result will probably see the likelihood of them moving up the table, but a negative one will almost certainly see them move in the wrong direction. The attitude of the players has been very professional since the managerial change.
Dray and his coaching staff, comprising assistant Connor Sidley-Adams and first-team coach Steve Orchard, will be looking to use the momentum built over the last four games to continue a decent unbeaten run that began during interim managers’ Asa Hall and Niall Thompson’s two-game stint. Hall’s equaliser at Hungerford last Saturday rescued us a point and Thompson is very close to returning to the squad after injury.
This looks like a very competitive fixture on paper. It was excellent to see us well supported on Tuesday night and the atmosphere at the Ian Moorcroft Stadium with a good turnout always seems to inspire the players.
So let’s keep it going on Saturday!
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