Match Preview

We welcome our neighbours Barnstaple Town to the Sports Ground on Boxing Day in the Evo-Stik League South – West.

Bideford vs Barnstaple Town
Evo-Stik League South – West Division
Tuesday 26th December 2017
3:00pm kick off
Sports Ground, Bideford

A Brief History of Barnstaple Town FC
North Devon League founder members Pilton Yeo Vale were founded in 1904 and became Barnstaple Town in 1905. Barnstaple spent the first half of the century playing local league football in the North Devon League and the Devon & Exeter League until joining Western League Division Two for the 1948/49 season. In 1949/50 Barnstaple were Division Two champions and were promoted to Division One. Barum became Western League champions in 1952/53 and once again in 1979/80 (now the Premier Division). They were relegated back to the second tier (Division One) in 1990/91 but bounced back as Division One champions in 1993/94. Barnstaple were relegated back to Division One in 2012/13 but once again returned to the Premier after winning their third Division One title in 2014/15. Barum carried that momentum in to 2015/16 finishing as runners-up in the Premier Division and accepting promotion to the Southern League for the first time after champions Odd Down turned down the opportunity. In their first season in Division One South & West, Barum finished 17th. Barnstaple Town are two time Western League champions, three time Western Division One champions and also Western Division Two title winners. They have won the Devon St Luke's Bowl on one occasion and have also reached the first round proper of the FA Cup four times.

Barnstaple Town FC
Web: http://www.barnstapletownfc.com
Twitter: @Official_BTFC

Form Guide
2017/18 has been a real struggle so far for Barnstaple. After parting company with Barry Yeo in the summer, Richard Pears was installed as manager but he has since resigned from the position leaving the club second bottom in the league (W3 D4 L14). Barum are without a win in 12 games and come into the derby off the back of four straight defeats, the latest of which was a 3-1 home defeat to Swindon Supermarine. Barnstaple do have the advantage of a week’s rest after their game on Saturday at home to AFC Totton was postponed while Bideford had to travel to Oxfordshire to play Didcot.

Barnstaple Town’s last six (DDLLLL)
19/12/17 Barnstaple Town 1 Swindon Supermarine 3 (League)
16/12/17 Larkhall Athletic 2 Barnstaple Town 0 (League)
09/12/17 Cirencester Town 3 Barnstaple Town 1 (League)
05/12/17 Taunton Town 3 Barnstaple Town 0 (League)
02/12/17 Barnstaple Town 1 Wimborne Town 1 (League)
28/11/17 Shortwood United 3 Barnstaple Town 3 (League)

Bideford have lost a bit of form in recent weeks going three games without a win. There was disappointment to have only taken a point from back to back home games against Shortwood United and Yate Town but The Robins did pick up a useful point at fellow play off contenders Didcot Town yesterday (Saturday). Bideford will be hoping to improve their home form starting with a win against local rivals Barnstaple in the North Devon Derby. Craig Duff has returned to the fold after coming on as a substitute against Didcot but Ben Wood, Liam Gregory and Max Smallcombe remain long term absentees. Bideford are 8th in the league (W10 D4 L5).

Bideford's last six (WWWDLD)
23/12/17 Didcot Town 0 Bideford 0 (League)
16/12/17 Bideford 1 Yate Town 2 (League)
09/12/17 Bideford 2 Shortwood United 2 (League)
05/12/17 Bideford 5 Stoke Gabriel 0 (St Luke’s Bowl R1)
25/11/17 Winchester City 2 Bideford 3 (League)
18/11/17 Bideford 4 Larkhall Athletic 1 (League)

Most recent meetings:
28/08/17 Barnstaple Town 1 Bideford 2 (Southern Div One West)
26/12/16 Barnstaple Town 0 Bideford 1 (Southern Div One S&W)
08/11/16 Bideford 1 Barnstaple Town 4 (Southern League Cup R2)
29/08/16 Bideford 2 Barnstaple Town 1 (Southern Div One S&W)
18/11/14 Barnstaple Town 0 Bideford 1 (Devon St Luke's Bowl QF)
02/04/10 Barnstaple Town 3 Bideford 2 (Western League Premier)
26/12/09 Bideford 4 Barnstaple Town 3 (Western League Premier)
10/04/09 Bideford 1 Barnstaple Town 1 (Western League Premier)
26/12/08 Barnstaple Town 1 Bideford 3 (Western League Premier)

Back in August Bideford beat Barnstaple 2-1 at Mill Road having played an hour with ten men after Ian Sampson’s sending off. The all important goals came from Ryan Turner and Billy Tucker. Last season The Robins did the league double over their neighbours as Sean Downing and Dan Western were on target in a 2-1 win at the Sports Ground and Kai Fisher got the winner in a 1-0 success at Mill Road on Boxing Day. Barnstaple won 4-1 at the Sports Ground against a make shift Bideford line-up in the Southern League Cup 2nd Round.