Post by dbbn on Aug 4, 2023 14:23:40 GMT
Match Preview
Saturday 5 August 2023
Vanarama National League South
Taunton Town v Braintree Town
Here we go again with another new season and another away game for starters, with a long trip to Somerset.
Taunton Town’s first season in the VNLS was a fairly solid one as they finished in fourteenth place.
Their record was P 46 W 17 D 10 L19 GF 50 GA 55 Points 61
Manager Rob Dray has been at the helm since 2018 having initially joined the club in 2016.
Last season’s success saw them struggle for goals though this was countered by a fairly tight defence. Top scorers for the Peacocks in 2022/23 were:
Ross Stearn with nine goals, Dylan Morgan with six goals, Dave Sims-Burgess and Zac Smith with five goals each.
In the F. A. Cup last season, they started with a home win (1-0) against Laverstock & Ford and followed that up with another home win by the same score line against Walton & Hersham. They then made their first away trip of the competition with a derby game at Yeovil Town where they secured a replay after a goal less draw. Again they would win by one goal to nil and progress to the First Round proper and an away tie at Milton Keynes Dons, however their journey would end there as they were defeated six-nil.
In the F. A. Trophy they were drawn at home against Dulwich Hamlet and beat them two-one, before travelling to Slough Town where one goal again was enough to win the tie. In round four they travelled to another team relegated to the VNLS for this season – Torquay United with the hosts running out four-two winners.
For this season they have taken striker Malachi Linton on loan from Yeovil Town to bolster their attack, whist at the other end of the park, they have signed goalkeeper Dan Lavercombe from FC United of Manchester.
Last season’s meeting with the Iron on their patch was on 3 December 2022 when both sides failed to find the net as the game ended goal less. The local paper described it as a feisty affair with the hosts the more likely winners as Braintree only managed one shot on goal and that came in the last minutes as a goal bound Aaron Blair effort was cleared for a corner, from which Jack Crawly headed against the bar.
The Iron who finished a creditable seventh last season in manager Angelo Harrop’s first season at this level were the lowest scorers to make the play-off positions, but the joint fifth best defence too meant they were hard to beat.
Top scorer last season was Dagenham & Redbridge loanee Aaron Blair with twelve goals. Three players scored eight goals – Alfie Matthews (now Hemel Hempstead), Baris Altintop (now Dartford) and Kyran Clements.
Angelo has boosted his strike force by bringing in Nnamdi Nwachuku form AFC Sudbury and Will Davies from Leiston, who between them scored over seventy goals last season. Fans have already seen Namdi’s prowess in this season’s friendly matches.
Having said that, Braintree failed to score in their last three friendlies, hopefully saving them all up for Saturday!
Saturday 5 August 2023
Vanarama National League South
Taunton Town v Braintree Town
Here we go again with another new season and another away game for starters, with a long trip to Somerset.
Taunton Town’s first season in the VNLS was a fairly solid one as they finished in fourteenth place.
Their record was P 46 W 17 D 10 L19 GF 50 GA 55 Points 61
Manager Rob Dray has been at the helm since 2018 having initially joined the club in 2016.
Last season’s success saw them struggle for goals though this was countered by a fairly tight defence. Top scorers for the Peacocks in 2022/23 were:
Ross Stearn with nine goals, Dylan Morgan with six goals, Dave Sims-Burgess and Zac Smith with five goals each.
In the F. A. Cup last season, they started with a home win (1-0) against Laverstock & Ford and followed that up with another home win by the same score line against Walton & Hersham. They then made their first away trip of the competition with a derby game at Yeovil Town where they secured a replay after a goal less draw. Again they would win by one goal to nil and progress to the First Round proper and an away tie at Milton Keynes Dons, however their journey would end there as they were defeated six-nil.
In the F. A. Trophy they were drawn at home against Dulwich Hamlet and beat them two-one, before travelling to Slough Town where one goal again was enough to win the tie. In round four they travelled to another team relegated to the VNLS for this season – Torquay United with the hosts running out four-two winners.
For this season they have taken striker Malachi Linton on loan from Yeovil Town to bolster their attack, whist at the other end of the park, they have signed goalkeeper Dan Lavercombe from FC United of Manchester.
Last season’s meeting with the Iron on their patch was on 3 December 2022 when both sides failed to find the net as the game ended goal less. The local paper described it as a feisty affair with the hosts the more likely winners as Braintree only managed one shot on goal and that came in the last minutes as a goal bound Aaron Blair effort was cleared for a corner, from which Jack Crawly headed against the bar.
The Iron who finished a creditable seventh last season in manager Angelo Harrop’s first season at this level were the lowest scorers to make the play-off positions, but the joint fifth best defence too meant they were hard to beat.
Top scorer last season was Dagenham & Redbridge loanee Aaron Blair with twelve goals. Three players scored eight goals – Alfie Matthews (now Hemel Hempstead), Baris Altintop (now Dartford) and Kyran Clements.
Angelo has boosted his strike force by bringing in Nnamdi Nwachuku form AFC Sudbury and Will Davies from Leiston, who between them scored over seventy goals last season. Fans have already seen Namdi’s prowess in this season’s friendly matches.
Having said that, Braintree failed to score in their last three friendlies, hopefully saving them all up for Saturday!