Media Watch - Tiverton Town

After the temporary loss of form with one point from three games, we have experienced an excellent seven days picking up nine points from three away games. Improved effectiveness in the penalty area and some increased efficiency in mid-field has had a significant effect and subsequently made it look much easier for us to defend, although our last clean sheet was back in January against Evesham.

To be fair the attitude of the players has been outstanding to bounce back from the perceived ‘doom and gloom’ of just a few weeks ago. Even when things weren’t going according to the plan, they kept going and refused to collapse. The players have given absolutely everything this season and we can all believe that they now want to see it through to the inevitable conclusion. What we have done in the last seven days is always difficult for any team. To win three games on the road, under the pressure that the team was experiencing and with the travelling involved, was fantastic and we should all congratulate the players on Saturday with our noisy support.

It’s always tricky going away from home a few weeks after losing to the same team, and Bridgwater were a side who had caused us a few problems in the first game. What was interesting on Tuesday was that we seemed to play as if we took those problems into account and learned some lessons from the previous game against them. We denied them any time and space in mid-week and after we scored were quite content to let them have the ball back in their half, so we could sit off and remain organised. The mid-field, in a 4-1-4-1 set-up, worked extremely hard and denied their strikers any quality service.

You can always speculate that the actual performance on the day decides the outcome of the majority of games, not where it’s actually played. When a team is not as good, they lose, it doesn’t matter what shirt they wear, or what stadium they play in – it is generally down to the quality on the day.

Martyn Rogers admits injury-hit Tiverton Town have a tough ask at league leaders Merthyr Town on Saturday
Mid Devon Gazette

Injury-hit Tiverton Town face a tough task when they travel to league leaders Merthyr Town on Saturday, but manager Martyn Rogers has challenged his fit players to show what they are made of. Rogers' side face arguably the toughest game of the season as they travel to a side who have scored 97 league goals this campaign and currently sit 10 points clear at the top of the table.

Their task has not been made any easier by the fact they are missing at least five players for the fixture and Rogers admits it will be a hard match but wants his remaining players to cause an upset.

He said: “It would be a tough game to go there with a full compliment, so to go there with five quality players missing, who would probably be starting, is a big ask. However, we’ll go down there with the players I select and they’ll give it the best they can. Football can sometimes throw up some funny results. There’s players that will be playing that may not have had a chance if all the players were fit. They’ve got that chance now so they can show me how good they are.”

James Richards and Owen Howe are both suspended for the game, whilst Alex Faux (ankle), James Mudge (leg) and Ed Weeks (knee) are all definitely out. On-loan striker Tony Lee is also doubtful.

With an average attendance of 498, Merthyr comfortably draw the biggest crowds in the division, yet Rogers feels this could well benefit his team, provided they get off to a good start.

“Some of the lads probably aren’t used to playing in front of crowds like that,” Rogers admitted. “The crowd can help us, though; there’s nothing better than playing well when in front of a crowd. It’s a big incentive. Merthyr will be expecting to win, just by looking at the league positions. They’ll have also seen we’re struggling with injuries, so they’re probably thinking it will be an easy three points. We won’t lie down and let them roll us over, though, that’s for sure. They’ve had a good season and when they played down at our place, they were a useful outfit. We know what to expect, that’s for sure, and everybody needs to play at their optimum in order to get a result.”

Saturday’s hosts have a number of players with Football League experience, including former-Exeter City midfielder Guillem Bauzà, and Rogers feels that having a lack of competition in their catchment areas gives Merthyr an advantage that Tivvy cannot have.

He said: “If you take away Swansea, Cardiff, Newport and Wrexham, they’re probably the biggest club in Wales. That gives them a big area to choose from, which is probably why they’ve got some ex-league players. They’ve done well with their artificial pitch and, financially, they’re probably far better off than most clubs. With the big crowds they’re getting, they may well be self-sufficient at the moment, which isn’t something you can say about a lot of non-league clubs.”

There's potentially another big game tomorrow as second in the table Taunton Town travel to Worcestershire to play third placed Evesham United.

Although we only have to concentrate on our own results, I'm sure that most Martyrs fans will be keeping an eye on the score at the Jubilee Stadium.

Evesham United ready for big clash against Taunton Town in Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West
Evesham Journal

MANAGER Paul Collicutt has described tomorrow’s Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West match against Taunton Town (3pm) as the biggest of Evesham United’s season.

With eight games to go, the Robins sit third in the table and are on course for one of the coveted play-off places. Victory at the Jubilee Stadium would see Evesham close the gap on second-placed Taunton to just two points.

Finishing second remains the aim for United given leaders Merthyr have a 10-point cushion at the summit.

“It is our biggest game of the season without a doubt and it’s at home as well,” Collicutt said. “They won 4-1 at Cinderford on Tuesday so they have gone five points in front of us. They are in a good run of form so will be coming to us in good spirits. If we are looking to finish as high as we can in the table, it’s a fixture we have to look to do well in. There’s a lot to be played for. We have got eight games left and 24 points to play for. We are in good form and everybody within the club is looking forward to the game. I just hope we can get a positive result on Saturday.”

Collicutt has also called on the Evesham fans to turn out in their droves as the team bid to stretch their unbeaten run to eight games.

He added: “It would be nice to get the Evesham people behind us, we need them more than in any other game this season. The crowds have been encouraging and hopefully Taunton will bring a few people with them as well because they are one of the better supported teams.”

Defenders Will Wellon (hamstring) and Lewis Binns (ankle) remain on the sidelines as does midfielder Elliot Kennedy. But winger Marcus Jackson is back after missing last Saturday’s 2-0 home win against Fleet Town because he was at a wedding.

Former Martyrs' David Webley ace David Webley back at Penydarren Park for the first time since he stopped playing
Wales On Line

Former Martyrs ace David Webley is back at Penydarren Park for Merthyr Town’s Southern League home match against Tiverton Town on Saturday (3pm).

Webley returns for the first time since his playing days ended more than 20 years ago. The 51-year-old met Merthyr supporter Matthew Davies to take part in a documentary about the club and agreed to attend the match against Tiverton.

Webley was a big fans favourite during his time at Merthyr in the late 80’s and early 90’s when his goals fired Lyn Jones’s teams into Europe and the Conference.

Manager Steve Jenkins and his Merthyr team are keen to earn a fourth successive victory in their quest to win the League title and go up as champions.

Former Bath, Exeter and Weymouth player Martyn Rogers, 60, is the Tiverton manager and the Devon club lie in the bottom half of the EvoStik Southern League South and West table.

The Martyrs are 10 points clear at the top and would love a win on the same day second-placed Taunton Town travel to face Evesham United, who are third.

Gavin Williams completes his three-match suspension by sitting out this match, while Jamie Rewbury has a foot injury and Matthew Harris is on holiday. Kyle Patten, who has extended his loan from Newport, is likely to link with Kris Leek and Guillermo Bauza in midfield.

The Martyrs have five of their remaining eight matches at home - and four of their five fixtures in April will be played at Penydarren Park.

Season ticket holders at Cardiff City, Swansea City, Newport County and Port Talbot Town receive a 33 per cent discount on entry to all Merthyr Town matches. Hereford United fans will receive free entry on production of their Trust membership cards.

Sounds like Tiverton manager Martyn Rogers is hoping that the Merthyr mind set will be that they have won the game before the kick off, based on our league position as opposed to theirs and their injuries, thereby gifting a surprise win to Tiverton. So we must remain focused for 90 minutes and a further 3 points.

You are not wrong, Jasp. It's pure kidology by Mr Rogers which I'm sure will be ignored by SJ et al.

Wandering wrote:There's potentially another big game tomorrow as second in the table Taunton Town travel to Worcestershire to play third placed Evesham United.

Although we only have to concentrate on our own results, I'm sure that most Martyrs fans will be keeping an eye on the score at the Jubilee Stadium.

Did think about going along - however I'd committed to the local derby Solihull v Worcester.