Match Preview

Our hectic end of season period continues tonight as we travel to already promoted Salisbury for our first of three games in just five days.

Salisbury vs Bideford
Evo-Stik League South – West Division
Tuesday 24th April 2018
7:45pm kick off
Raymond McEnhill Stadium, Salisbury

A Brief History of Salisbury FC
Salisbury reformed in 2015/16 after Salisbury City were expelled from the National League in 2015 for unpaid debts. Salisbury were originally founded in 1947 and played in the Western League winning the Division Two title and then the Western League title on two occasions. In 1968/69 they joined the Southern League. After changing their name to Salisbury City (not to be confused with the Salisbury City that existed from 1905-1939) they became Southern League Southern Division Champions in 1994/95. In 2005/06 they were Southern League Champions and a season later were promoted to the Conference after finishing runners-up in the Conference South. After a brief spell back in the Southern League they found their way back to the Conference (later renamed the National League) but they folded after being expelled from the league in 2014 due to unpaid debts. They reformed as Salisbury in 2015/16 and won the Wessex League Premier Division and promotion to the Southern League Division One South & West. Salisbury also reached the semi final of the FA Vase in 2015/16 losing out to Hereford 3-1 on aggregate. Last season Salisbury finished in 2nd place and missed out on promotion after losing to Tiverton Town in the play off final.

Salisbury FC
Raymond McEnhill Stadium
Partridge Way
Old Sarum
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP4 6PU
Tel: 01722 776655
Website: http://www.salisburyfc.co.uk
Twitter: @SalisburyFC

Form Guide
On Saturday, Salisbury clinched their expected promotion to the Southern League Premier Division. The Whites promotion charge had stuttered somewhat in recent weeks with Bristol Manor Farm and Wimborne closing the gap but Saturday’s win coupled with Manor Farm’s defeat at champions Taunton meant Salisbury’s promotion was confirmed. Salisbury are 2nd in the West Division (W23 D9 L8).

Salisbury’s last six (LLDWDW)
21/04/18 Salisbury 2 Didcot Town 1 (League)
17/04/18 Swindon Supermarine 2 Salisbury 2 (League)
14/04/18 Kidlington 0 Salisbury 1 (League)
10/04/18 Salisbury 2 Winchester City 2 (League)
07/04/18 Salisbury 2 Cinderford Town 3 (League)
02/04/18 Wimborne Town 4 Salisbury 2 (League)

Bideford’s playoff hopes were dented on Saturday with a 4-3 defeat at struggling Slimbridge. It proved to be a game too far for Bideford, their fourth game in a week and with a small squad of players. The squad now face a further stern test of three games in five days, starting with tonight’s trip to Salisbury, with The Robins needing to win all three to guarantee an unlikely playoff spot. Bideford are 8th in the West Division (W19 D9 L11).

Bideford's last six (LWWWWL)
21/04/18 Slimbridge 4 Bideford 3 (League)
19/04/18 Bideford 2 North Leigh 0 (League)
16/04/18 Kidlington 1 Bideford 2 (League)
14/04/18 Bideford 2 Paulton Rovers 1 (League)
07/04/18 Larkhall Athletic 0 Bideford 1 (League)
02/04/18 Bideford 0 Taunton Town 1 (League)

Previous meetings
24/03/18 Bideford 2 Salisbury 2 (Southern Div 1 West)
22/04/17 Bideford 0 Salisbury 1 (Southern Div 1 S&W)
10/09/17 Salisbury 4 Bideford 4 (Southern Div 1 S&W)
2002/03 Salisbury City 1 Bideford 2 (FA Cup PR)
1985/86 Salisbury 2 Bideford 0 (FA Trophy Q2)
1976/77 Bideford 2 Salisbury 1 (FA Trophy Q1)