Emirates Football Association Cup, first qualifying round
Tiverton Town v Wimborne Town
Saturday, August 31 . Ian Moorcroft Stadium . 3pm
THE magic of the FA Cup makes players, managers and fans alike dream of a cup run.
As each FA Cup campaign begins, there is a renewed hope in doing well in the competition.
Unfortunately, for Tivvy, early exits have unfortunately been the norm over a long period, often against teams from the division below. Last season’s opponents were Wimborne Town, to who we suffered a narrow loss, and who fitted those criteria.
This season, at exactly the same stage, at home again, we have been drawn together again, except, this time, Wimborne are playing at the same level as us and sit in lower-mid table after winning their opening two fixtures against Hanwell and Winchester. However, they have since incurred losses to Gloucester, Walton & Hersham and Poole.
The Yellows gave notice, in the second half of their Bank Holiday game against Plymouth Parkway, that they a team who have yet to hit their peak. If they can find clinicalness and ruthlessness to add to that dominant display after the break, they will turn the tide sooner, rather than later.
Manager Leigh Robinson will hope to welcome back defensive strongman Josh Jones, after suspension and injury, and player-assistant manager Ben Gerring should be available in both of his roles. Javan Wright and Tor Swann were each given second-half minutes against Parkway as they look to regain full fitness, and Farren Simons should also be back in contention for a starting place.
Tim Sills, Robinson’s opposite number, played as a centre-forward in the EFL for the likes of Oxford United and, significantly, Torquay United. With the Gulls, he enjoyed a fruitful time before and after firing them back into League Two in the 2007-08 season, including a goal in the play-off final.
Sills’ scoring feats saw him bag more than 20 goals in consecutive seasons there and his reputation as a manager has blossomed, too. Previously, in his first managerial appointment at Hamworthy as a fledgling boss, he reached the FA Vase semi-final and guided them to the Western League title.
Similarly, after moving to Wimborne, he achieved promotion to our division last season. He has put together an experienced and competitive squad at the Wyatt Homes Stadium.
Midfielder Josh Carmichael, who is now 29, played as a youngster in Bournemouth’s first team and for Torquay United, similarly in the EFL. The ex-Scotland Youth International has operated at this level for quite a while now.
Defenders Sams Roberts and Jackson are proven at this level. The former has often been seen marshalling the back lines of Salisbury and Gosport, and that pedigree is complimented by the latter, who played nearly 100 games for Poole and Dorchester, and was virtually an ever-present in last term’s promotion success. The team captain is still relatively young.
One source of the Magpies’ firepower is provided by Will Fletcher, the young ex-Poole and Dorchester striker. Fletcher netted 10 times in 25 league games to signal his steady emergence at this level when with Wimborne’s fellow Dorset side, Dorchester, in the last campaign. Matt Neale, Jez Bedford and Harvey Wright are also proven and talented players in this standard of football.
As many know, there are rewards financially for progressing through the rounds, but, for most of us, this is the greatest cup competition in the world and if players cannot be inspired by that and realise what it means to the fans, then that is a shame. So let us leave everything out there and do our best.
The team have yet to fire on all cylinders yet, but the supporters will all be in their corner come Saturday, willing the players on and daring to dream again.
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