Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South
Hungerford Town v Tiverton Town
Saturday, November 2 . Bulpit Lane . 3pm
MUCH of the build-up has focused on the appointment of Rob Dray as men’s first-team manager, but now we turn our attention to this weekend's trip to Hungerford.
Because of the four points achieved by interim managers Asa Hall and Niall Thompson in their two games in charge, not only have we edged out of the relegation places but ,if we could get a positive outcome from this one, we would pass our hosts on the stairs.
For that to happen, it will not only need the players to quickly adjust to the new management team and vice versa, but also for them to maintain the levels and energy that were so prominent in Hall and Thompson’s stewardship.
Mike Baker has been a long-term absentee and both he and Niall Thompson will be injury doubts for this Saturday’s game in Berkshire. Back into contention will come Theo Jeremy, who was missing against Poole due to a prior commitment.
The squad members will be eager to impress the new coaching team and it will feel like a fresh start for some players who did not get the game-time they would have liked previously.
This is Hungerford boss Danny Robinson’s fifth season in command at the Crusaders and it was his impressive five-year stint at Thatcham Town that persuaded the club’s hierarchy to bring Robinson to Bulpit Lane.
Robinson was dealt a blow when, just a few days before the campaign began, last season’s top scorer Conor McDonough had to undergo minor knee surgery. In his absence, the Crusaders have relied upon the quick-footed attacking midfielder Elis Watts for a large share of their goals. He has eight of the 23 they have scored in the division. Watts is an exciting talent who was part of Weston-super-Mare’s promotion-winning squad in the 2022-23 season, and the 22 year-old Welshman was briefly a professional with Newport County as well as playing in the National League for Aldershot Town.
The pacy Dawid Regula also appears to have an eye for goal. The early-season capture from Larkhall has notched four from the eight games he has played for Tomorrow’s hosts.
The experienced James Harding is yet to really fire, but has the pedigree to be amongst the scorers. Enigmatic Brazilian Alefe Santos, who briefly returned to Poole after a spell with the Yellows, appears to have found regular football again with the Crusaders. The attacking midfielder, who memorably arrived with Joe Parker from Gloucester City, was a pro with Bristol Rovers and Yeovil.
There is plenty of experience and quality in the squad for manager Robinson to call on and none more so than Hungerford’s No. 1 Ryan Clarke, who made more than 200 EFL appearances, mainly for Oxford United, but also can count Bristol Rovers, Kidderminster Harriers and Southend United as other clubs he represented in the EFL. The veteran custodian is 42 now and was a fan favourite at Bath City between 2018- 2023.
In his sixth consecutive season with the Berkshire club, Matt Berry-Hargreaves is a central defender who is popular with the Crusaders faithful. The ball playing Hargreaves signed pro forms with Oxford United in the 2015-16 season. Winger Zidan Akers has turned out for a whole host of Southern League Premier South sides and is gifted with plenty of technical ability.
A new dawn beckons for the Yellows in Rob Dray's first game in the dugout. Joining him will be his backroom staff – assistant manager Connor Sidley-Adams and coach Steve Orchard – and we wish all of them well.
There was an abundance of attacking intent when Tivvy last took to the field, with Joe Parker being closely supported by Tor Swann and Evander Grubb.
It will be intriguing to see how we set up under the new management team and what position they choose to play Dylan Jones. He has played in a number of different positions this term – all to good effect – and we will look to build on the little bit of momentum that has been created.
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