That day in 2009 Bideford edged out their neighbours 4-3 en route to winning their tenth Western League title. The last meeting between the sides at Mill Road was also won by Bideford in November 2014 thanks to a solitary Ben Watson strike. Neither team are coming into this encounter in the best of form. Both sides have only one win in their last six but Barnstaple are in the more precarious league position lying in 19th while Bideford are in a much healthier 9th. Each side holds a victory over the other this season, Bideford winning the league clash 2-1 at the Sports Ground in August but Barnstaple responded with a 4-1 win in November in the Southern League Cup second round.

Bideford's last six (LDLDWL)
20/12/16 Bideford 1 Winchester City 2 (League)
13/12/16 Bideford 2 Bridgwater Town 0 (League)
10/12/16 Bideford 0 AFC Totton 0 (League)
03/12/16 North Leigh 2 Bideford 1 (League)
29/11/16 Tiverton Town 1 Bideford 1 (League)
26/11/16 Bideford 0 Mangotsfield United 1 (League)

Barnstaple Town's last six (LLLLWL)
17/12/16 Wimborne Town 3 Barnstaple Town 0 (League)
10/12/16 Slimbridge 0 Barnstaple Town 1 (League)
06/12/16 Barnstaple Town 0 Swindon Supermarine 1 (League)
03/12/16 Barnstaple Town 1 Winchester City 3 (League)
29/11/16 Barnstaple Town 0 Taunton Town 1 (League)
26/11/16 Yate Town 1 Barnstaple Town 0 (League)

What the managers said...
Quotes from the North Devon Journal

Sean Joyce:
"You can't really learn much from previous derby games. If you look at the history we have been top of the Western League with Barnstaple near the bottom and we get beaten by them - everything goes out of the window. I didn't expect to lose 4-1 (in the league cup in Novembjer) and I didn't want to lose 4-1 but I wanted to use my squad and we went out the following week and won 4-0 against Swindon Supermarine, so that justified my decision. This is a league game, a proper game, it is for the bragging rights and the three points. I want to go out, compete and win it."

Barry Yeo:
"All I want for Christmas is those three points. Whether it's 4-1 or 1-0, however it comes. We know we have to play very well because Bideford are a good side, but we are confident in our own ability. I know we will be right up for it and I'm sure it will be a typical derby. Both will want to win and I'm sure it won't be for the faint-hearted. They have beaten us and we turned them over at their place so it is 1-1 with everything to play for."

Most recent meetings:
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)

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. Barnstaple Town are two time Western League champions, three time Western Division One champions and also Western Division Two title winners. The 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 vs Bideford
Southern League Division One South & West
Monday 26th December 2016
1:30pm kick off
Mill Road, Barnstaple

Barnstaple Town FC
Mill Road
Barnstaple
Devon
EX31 1JQ
Tel: 01271 343469
Web: www.barnstapletownfc.com
Twitter: @Official_BTFC