Match Preview

It’s the first North Devon Derby of the season on Bank Holiday Monday as Bideford make the short trip to Barnstaple Town.

Barnstaple Town vs Bideford
Southern League Division One West
Monday 28th August 2017
3:00pm kick off
Mill Road, Barnstaple

A Brief History of Barnstaple Town
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
Mill Road
Barnstaple
Devon
EX31 1JQ
Tel: 01271 343469
Web: http://www.barnstapletownfc.com
Twitter: @Official_BTFC

Form Guide
After two defeats in their opening two league fixtures, Barnstaple have now won two on the bounce with a 1-0 win over Clevedon Town in the FA Cup followed by a 3-1 win at Cinderford Town in the league. On the other hand Bideford, who began their season with three straight wins, suffered their first loss on Saturday at the hands of Swindon Supermarine. Barum will come into the fixture high in confidence while Bideford will feel they need to make up for a lacklustre display on Saturday.

Barnstaple Town’s last six (WDLLWW)
05/08/17 Launceston 0 Barnstaple Town 5 (Friendly)
09/08/17 Barnstaple Town 1 Appledore 1 (Friendly)
12/08/17 AFC Totton 3 Barnstaple Town 1 (League)
15/08/17 Barnstaple Town 0 Larkhall Athletic 3 (League)
19/08/17 Barnstaple Town 1 Clevedon Town 0 (FA Cup PR)
26/08/17 Cinderford Town 1 Barnstaple Town 3 (League)

Bideford's last six (WWWWWL)
31/07/17 Dorchester Town 1 Bideford 2 (Friendly)
04/08/17 Bideford 3 Appledore 0 (Friendly)
12/08/17 Bideford 1 Didcot Town 0 (League)
15/08/17 Yate Town 0 Bideford 1 (League)
19/08/17 Bideford 6 Wells City 0 (FA Cup PR)
26/08/17 Bideford 0 Swindon Supermarine 1 (League)

Previous meetings:
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)
19/07/14 Barnstaple Town 1 Bideford 3 (Friendly)
30/07/13 Barnstaple Town 1 Bideford 4 (Friendly)
08/01/13 Bideford 4 Barnstaple Town 0 (Friendly)
??/07/12 Barnstaple Town 2 Bideford 5 (Friendly)
02/04/10 Barnstaple Town 3 Bideford 2 (Western League Premier)
26/12/09 Bideford 4 Barnstaple Town 3 (Western League Premier)

Last season Bideford claimed the local bragging rights with a league double over their neighbours. Sean Downing and Dan Western were on target in The Robins’ 2-1 win at the Sports Ground in August and Kai Fisher scored the only goal in Bideford’s 1-0 win at Mill Road on Boxing Day. Barnstaple did however enjoy a 4-1 triumph over a much changed Bideford side in the Southern League Cup in November.