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The Peacocks continue their pre-season schedule when they visit Willand Rovers tomorrow evening (19th July), ko 7.45pm.
The game against the Southern League Division One South side provides another 90 minutes for manager Richard Luffman to mould his squad into shape for the league season beginning in three weeks’ time.
The friendly programme so far has seen mixed fortunes for Taunton, the most recent outing ending in a 2-1 defeat at Bristol Manor Farm yesterday evening. Town keeper Adam Parkes made two early saves before the visitors grabbed the lead on 15 minutes when Archie Ferris’ header from an Ethan Vaughan cross squirmed past Farm keeper Seth Locke.
George Dowling equalised for the hosts after 25 minutes with a left-foot strike from distance and after Town’s Evander Grubb had been foiled by Locke on the line, George King fired Farm ahead on the half hour with a deflected effort from inside the box.
Grubb’s effort then hit the bar as the half ended with Town trailing, the woodwork going on to foil the visitors after the break. Ferris curled a shot against the post while Grubb’s strike deflected on to the bar while Olly Sully and Ferris also came close. The Peacocks’ Owen Brain and Farm’s Dowling were both sent off on 79 minutes after a Brain challenge had lit the fuse before Taunton were awarded a penalty two minutes from time after Kyrese Morrison had been felled by Aron Robbins. However Ferris’ penalty rattled the crossbar on its way over and with a late header from Reece Hedges also glancing the bar Town remained out of luck.
Prior to this, the Peacocks had played four friendly games beginning with a 1-0 defeat at Western League Street on 4th July. Zeph Collins scored the only goal after 79 minutes in a match in which Taunton also struck the woodwork on four occasions. The following evening Town gained their first pre-season victory with a 3-0 win at Bridgwater United through goals from Evander Grubb on 15 minutes, Owen Brain on 58 and David Duru four minutes from time.
A 6-0 win was next up at Bishops Lydeard on 9th July. Archie Ferris netted twice in the first half before further goals followed after the interval from Jeff Forkuo, Evander Grubb, Olly Sully and David Duru. The goals flowed again three days later when the Peacocks gained a 7-1 result at Nailsea & Tickenham. David Duru put the visitors one up at the break and Archie Ferris added a penalty before Lucas Vowles reduced the arrears. Ferris went on notch a hat trick including another spot kick, added to by a brace from Olly Sully and a wonder strike from Calum English-Brown.