Recap
Game Details
Taunton Town vs Bideford
Date: September 1st, 2020
Competition: Pre-Season Friendly
Venue: Cygnet Health Care Stadium
Kick Off: 7.30pm
Behind Closed Doors
Match Report
Two goals from new striker Toby Holmes helped Town ease to victory over their North Devon visitors in a behind closed doors friendly which, apart from giving more match practice to Rob Dray’s new look squad, also gave the chance for the club’s matchday team to organize ahead of the first game with spectators on Friday evening.
Some rather sloppy play from the hosts was not punished early on, with Archie Reay dragging a shot wide and then Lloyd Irish diving well to clutch Alex Byrne’s cross. Luke Spokes fired Town’s first attempt well wide before he was involved in the opener after nine minutes, linking up down the right with Owen Howe whose cross was neatly flicked home by Ollie Chamberlain.
Irish held a shot from Ben Wood before the Peacocks added the second on 23 minutes, Jamie Short making ground down the right and his drilled cross into the danger area was converted by Holmes from close range. Town’s impressive new midfield man Lee Lucas was then the victim of a poor challenge just before the half hour mark and limped off to be replaced by Joe Guest.
Skipper Nick Grimes headed home at the far post via the underside of the bar from a Jay Foulston corner to make it 3-0 after 32 minutes while Spokes curled wide from the left as Town held a comfortable advantage at the break. The second half inevitably became more fractured with the usual substitutions, but the Peacocks were always in the driving seat. Howe prodded wide from a Spokes corner before the lead was extended after 63 minutes when Gethyn Hill’s challenge gave Chamberlain space and he played in Holmes on the left side of the box to finish clinically into the far corner.
Bideford pulled one back after 70 minutes when a corner from the left was headed back in and Ryan Turner profited to find the net in front of the post. The best goal of the evening came with ten minutes remaining, a fine corner routine involving Jordan Copp and Holmes culminating in Spokes rifling past Liam Kingston from twelve yards to cap off another step in the right direction for the Peacocks.
Line-Ups
Taunton: Lloyd Irish, Jamie Short (Jake Mawford 45), Jay Foulston (Jordan Copp 45), Ross Staley (Owen Howe 71), Nick Grimes (captain), Jake Wannell (Ben Adelsbury 54), Ollie Chamberlain (Callum Watts 68), Lee Lucas (Joe Guest 29), Toby Holmes, Luke Spokes, Owen Howe (Gethyn Hill 54)
Bideford: Liam Kingston, Ben Wood (Joe Charles 71), Toby Down, Archie Reay (Niall Heeney 45), James Mayne (Archie Reay 65), Nick Milton (captain), Ryan Turner (Jamie Down 79), Jack Calver (Aaron Taylor 45), Alex Byrne (Jordan Annear 79), Joe Charles (JV Wright 45), Jordan Annear (Jack Calver 71). Unused sub: Ian Down
Officials
Referee: Dan Bugg (Weston-super-Mare)
Referee’s Assistant 1: Ron Ganfield (Weston-super-Mare) (refereed second half)
Referee’s Assistant 2: Rob MacDonald (Taunton)