BARNSTAPLE TOWN (Mill Road)

SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE SOUTH, BARNSTAPLE TOWN 3-2 SLIMBRIDGE AFC, ATTENDANCE: 206

After spending the previous evening in Almondsbury, today I found myself heading further south in my continuing quest to complete all the grounds of all four divisions of the Southern League. Final destination this afternoon was North Devon or Mill Road, the home of Barnstaple Town, to be move precise. 

This would move me into single figures regards grounds now needed but this could be moot by the end of this season as Barnstaple are currently rooted to the foot of the table, with just one win all season, and staring relegation back to the Western League full in the face.

Before the excitement of the game, I had time to walk over the long bridge and explore the historic town. Barnstaple was once a hub of commercial trading with a bustling port which exported worldwide its wares of wool and pottery, whilst importing spices, wine and tobacco. The port is gone but the Queen Anne building, which was built on the Quay, and completed in 1713, still stands.

There is the famous Victorian Pannier Market which still trades today. There is also the site of Barnstaple Castle which was built around the 11th or 12th century and which stood until falling into disrepair around 1274 before becoming a ruin by 1326. It finally collapsed in 1601. It is now a tree covered motte. From here it was a 10 minute walk, crossing the River Yeo, to Barnstaple Town's rather splendid Mill Road ground.

The Football club have played here since it was established in 1904 as Pilton Yeo Vale. They were founder members of the North Devon League in the same year, when they went on to be the leagues inaugural champions in 1905. That year they changed their name to Barnstaple Town.

The club have spent most of their history in either the North Devon League, the Exeter and District League or the Western League. Barnstaple have won the Western League twice but in 2016 they finished runners-up to gain promotion to the Southern League (at step 4) for the first time in their history. 

The team are nicknamed Barum, which is a contraction of the Latin form of the name Barnstaple, ad Barnastapolitum. As touched upon earlier, it has been a season of struggle for Barum with just a solitary victory before this afternoon.

A new manager, Craig Laird, was appointed in mid-January, who has made a plethora of new signings, as the club attempt to pull off a minor miracle by retaining their place in the Southern League. Before kick off, Barum were 11 points adrift of safety with 10 games to play. This afternoon's visitors from Gloucestershire, Slimbridge AFC, are also in the lower reaches of the table but appear safe from any immediate trouble. 

It was vital that wins started to come quickly for Barnstaple and today they got just that.

After the rain of the previous 24 hours had left the pitch heavy and muddy in parts, credit must go to both teams who did very well to produce an excellent game to watch. There were opportunities for both sides in the opening exchanges but it was Slimbridge who looked the more threatening as the half wore on. It came as no surprise when Will Hawes headed home on 25 minutes to give The Swans the lead.

Within two minutes the homesters were level. was fouled in the area and Owen Howe stepped up to score from the penalty spot (pictured left). This certainly lifted Barum and it was fair that both teams went in level at the break.

The half-time team talk in the Barnstaple dressing room must have been inspiring as they came out for the second half and really took the game to Slimbridge. After 47 minutes a cross into the box was headed home by Brodie Montague to give Barum the lead. It got better eight minutes later when Howe scored his second, collecting the ball on the edge of the area before turning and unleashing a shot into the top corner. A superb strike.

There were further opportunities for Barnstaple to extend their lead but were not taken and when Nathan Dennis scored for Slimbridge in the 88th minute to make it 3-2  you felt Barum could rue those missed opportunities.

The board then went up showing 6 minutes of stoppage time and you could certainly sense the anxiety in the crowd. Slimbridge repeatedly launched the ball into the mix in search of an equaliser but Barnstaple managed to hold on to secure an important, and necessary, three points. Could this be the start of a great escape? Time will tell...

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My beloved Everton played a mid-season friendly against Barnstaple Town in February 1991. The Toffees won 2-0 thanks to goals from Mike Newell and Marcus Ebdon. I never made it to Mill Road that night but, after nearly 31 years I finally have done now!