Willand Rovers FC
The Toolstation League
WILLAND ROVERS FOOTBALL CLUB
"very much a family club"
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The latest from Silver Street.....
ROVERS win 4-0 at Dawlish / Reserves beat Exmouth Amateurs 3-0 at Silver Street / Stamp, Ansell, Mammola and Norrish net as Rovers keep a FOURTH successive clean sheet / Big Ben now this season's leading scorer ! / Andrews strikes a 'Roberto carlos' special for the Rovers Reserves / FA Cup opponents lose secodn successive game / Ilfracombe held, Bitton win again, Tivvy in nap hand defeat, Cully share six in Crediton FA Vase tie / Rovers Under-12 in historic first match victory at Silver Street / Rovers advertise for COMMERCIAL MANAGER / Reserve side seek LINESMAN / Under-15 (Sundays) require goalkeeper
Our pictures at top and bottom today are (top) Dean Stamp who netted the sides first goal at dawlish on saturday and (bottom) Danny Baily, an early introduction to the game for 'Bailo' after injury to Danny Jee.
CHECK OUT OUR WESTERN LEAGUE 10/11 PAGES FOR THE FULL RESULTS FROM SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 4th AND THE NEW UPDATED TABLE -
ROVERS won with something to spare when they visited Sandy Lane, Dawlish on the first Saturday of September. Indeed, at full-time, it was the home side probably the more pleased to hear the final whistle as Rovers perhaps should have scored more than the four goals they notched in another impressive all-round display – with the exception of some wayward finishing! A big plus for the boss was not the four goals – and four different scorers to boot, but the fact that the side kept a FOURTH successive clean sheet and that means, with the exception of that strange 5-0 home hiding ion game two at the hands of visiting Street, Rovers have now kept five clean sheets in six games! Let’s not also forget that Rovers are NOW UNBEATEN AWAY in the Toolstation League for 13 (YES THIRTEEN) Months!
THE GAME AT Dawlish saw injury strike early on with Danny Jee having to leave the field with what looked a back problem. Jee was replaced by Danny Baily and that initiated a mid-field re-shuffle with James Ansell, who had started on the left of the middle four, going inside to partner skipper Rob Norrish with Ian Patchett the right sides middleman. At the back there were recalls for Shaun Goff and Ben Mammola who had both missed the previous weeks FA Cup tie with Radstock, and the pair slotted back in alongside Simon Hill and Jake Wannell. The front two were Joel Hawes and Dean Stamp – and, in a dominant first 45 minutes, both front men could, and perhaps should, have come off at the break with a coupe of goals each to their names. The opening goal came from the penalty spot, Dean Stamp sending the home custodian the wrong way with his well placed spot kick. Both strikers the missed gilt edged opportunities to add to the score and it was not until the closing stages of the half that the advantage was doubled when James Ansell notched his first of the new term. Two further changes were made after the break with Paul Pocock introduced for Dean Stamp and Jake Wannell made way for Steve Shore. The third goal duly arrived when Ben Mammola powered in a trade mark header from a corner – that his third of the season to make the big, popular central defender, the current leading scorer for the side. The final goal came I the final minute when another penalty was awarded. Both Paul Pocock and Danny Baily seemed to want to take the kick but, as they debated who should, skipper Rob Norrish decided he could – and he duly knocked home the fourth, and final goal.
ROVERS RESERVES were also in great form for their opening game in the Devon & Exeter League Premier Division as they defeated Exmouth Amateurs at Silver Street 3-0. Barry Standford headed home a corner well delivered by teenager Zac Skinner for what proved to be the only goal of the first half. After the break the Silver Street faithful were treated to a special goal as Paul Andrews struck a sweet shot from fully thirty yards that had a lot of ‘Roberto Carlos’ about it! From the moment the ball left Andrews’ boot, it flew like a missile, struck an upright and nestled neatly in the back of the net! The third and final game came at the end of a superb passing move with Robbie Buxton firing in to seal a richly deserved 3-0 win.
IN OTHER games in the Toolstation League on September 4. BARNSTAPLE TOWN bounced back from their 4-1 defeat to Dawlish the previous week with a 3-2 home win over WELLINGTON. BISHOP SUTTON beat STREET 2-1 and there was a 3-0 success at home for BRISTOL MANOR FARM against LONGWELL GREEN. BITTON were 2-0 winners at RADSTOCK and the game at SHERBORNE where ILFRACOMMBE were the visitors, ended 2-2. In other football TIVERTON TOWN slipped to a second 5-0 defeat this term, beaten at Chesham. In the Toolstation League First Division, MERTHYR TOWN won 7-1 at CHARD TOWN. In FA Vase ties, ELMORE went out, beaten 3-2 at home by PORTHLEVEN and the Friday night Mid Devon derby between CREDITON UNITED and CULLOMPTON RANGERS ended 3-3. WELTON ROVERS are also out of the Vase, beaten 3-0 at home by VERWOOD TOWN. But BRISLINGTON are through after they beat WITHERIDGE 1-0. ODD DOWN won the all top flight clash with WELLS CITY and HALLEN won 2-1 at CHELTENHAM SARACENS. CORSHAM and OXFORD CITY NOMADS must replay after they drew 1-1 but LARKHALL are out, beaten 3-0 at home by HAMWORTHY.
FROME TOWN, who we meet next Saturday, were beaten on Saturday, 1-0 at home by HUNGERFORD TOWN. This their second succesive 1-0 defeatin since they beat ILFRACOMBE 1-0 to set up our visit to them next weekend. Frome also lost 1-0 at CINDERFORD TOWN on Bank Holiday Monday and with a 2-0 defeat also at home to BIDEFORD, it means that, in five League games so far, they have won just the one - that a 6-0 hiding of BRIDGWATER TOWN. They drew their opening League game 0-0 at YATE TOWN.
MANY THANKS TO Club photographer Rob Mitchell who has made available the photos from the Rovers Under-12 game against Phoenix - check them out by clicking below
http://picasaweb.google.com/madmitch01/Under12SFriendly292010?feat=email#5512722319560757410
ROVERS UNDER-12s delivered a superb performance to defeat the current East Devon Youth League Cup holders and the side who went neck and neck with Colyton in their League campaign. Pheonix from Exeter were beaten 2-1 and this was no fluke outcome! It was a tremendous effort by the side with many of the boys needing to be introduced to each other in the Home dressing room before the game! A decent sized crowd turned out to see the first ever game for the youngest Rovers side – decked out in a splendid all white kit (like the Rovers senior team) kindly sponsored by David Pengelly Transport of Kentisbeare and printed at Impact Print and Wear of Tiverton. It was a Sam Jones brace (Sam being the son of Rovers 1st team boss Clive Jones), that won the game but there were many other fabulous individual and collective performances with Jack Aldred earning the tag of Coaches Player of the Match and, in a post-match vote amongst the players, the goal scorer and goalkeeper Jordan Biss earned the plaudits of their team mates – with the outstanding left back, Kieron Fry also highly commended by his fellow players. That said, this was all about the TEAM – every one of the FHIRTEEN players on duty played their part and even the injured Connor Pengelly (unable to play owing to a knee injury) was changed and in the dugout to be part of the histories first game CHECK OUT THE MATCH REPORT NOW ON THE UNDER-12 PAGE
NEXT UP FOR ROVERS is this Saturday’s League visit to Sandy Lane, Dawlish. Rovers have a very healthy record at Sandy Lane in recent seasons. The journey of 26 miles is our second shortest of any in the season (the nearest being the Wellington trip). Last year we made the journey twice, first on Boxing Day when goals from Danny Jee and Joel Hawes, saw Rovers to a 2-0 win. We returned to Dawlish just six weeks later for a midweek Devon Bowl tie which we again won 2-0 with the goals this time scored by skipper Rob Norrish and Shaun Goff. Three days after the Bowl win we made the FA vase trip to Barwell where we suffered that extra-time heartache! We also met Dawlish here at Silver Street on the final game of the season back on April 26th – that then was the side’s FOURTEENTH game in 36 days (also the SEVENTH in 13 days!), and again we were victorious, thanks to goals from Dean Stamp (anybody at Silver Street will surely never forget that MAGNIFICENT STAMPY GOAL) and a last gasp winner from Mike Humphrey. We also met Dawlish three times the season before, the first of the trio being a Boxing Day home game and a 1-0 win thanks to a Dean Stamp goal as the then leaders of the table, were beaten. We met again in the Bowl with an extraordinary goal of eight goals – we trailed at the break 4-0! Then mounted a fight-back with goals from Kieron Townsend and a Rob Norrish brace- we went on to lose 5-3 and there was a rare penalty miss also in the game from Simon Hill. The third and final meeting that season was a Good Friday game at Dawlish which we won 3-0 with David Steele, David Hambly and James Ansell getting the goals and in that game Brian Cann save a second half penalty. We also won at Sandy Lane in the 2007/08 campaign, winning 2-1 in a midweek meeting. The last time we lost at Sandy Lane in a League game was in the 2006/07 campaign when beaten 3-0 on our April 9, 2007 visit.
BOSS CLIVE JONES SAYS OF THE TRIP TO DAWLISH: “It’s always a tough game, there or here at our place. One of the thing’s about this game is that each side know just about everything there is to know about the other as so many of the two sides players are either (or have been ) team-mates in the County side. We’ve done quite well there in recent years and I want that run to continue for a look at the fledgling table shows that we are already a couple of points adrift of the leading sides and I don’t want to be playing too much of a catch later in the season when I rather hope we will also be battling still on a number of fronts. Let’s not forget also that our FA Cup success means another Saturday league game we won’t play next week, and, all being well, that could (hopefully) be extended further). So it is important that when we do contest league points we look to capitalise. They (Dawlish) picked up a superb win at previously unbeaten Barnstaple Town in the days only top flight game last weekend and that will have given them the perfect lift going into a game which I cam sure they need no motivating for! Adam Kerswell is back at the helm and he knows what he’s about so I am anticipating very hard game at Sandy Lane – and yes, with the three back and a fit Danny Baily, I do have a little matter of a migraine coming about team selection!”
SHERBORNE won their midweek replay against Hamworthy United, beating the Wessex League side 3-0 after the pair had drawn the first meeting last Saturday at Hamworthy – Sherborne now head into the 1st Qualifying Round as one of the FOUR surviving Toolstation League, top flight sides left in the competition. The four are WILLAND ROVERS (of course!) at Frome Town , BITTON, entertaining Woodstock Town, BRISTOL MANOR FARM who travel to Almondsbury and SHERBORNE, who go to WIMBORNE TOWN.
IT'S DAWLISH TOWN NEXT on Saturday with our trip to Sandy Lane where we won twice last season, once in the League on Boxing Day and again in a Devon Bowl tie. The boss's options are much better this weekend with Ben mammola, Shau Goff and talisman skipper Rob Norrish all back in the fold - plus he does also have the luxury - based on the final fifteen minutes on Saturday - of a fit again Danny Baily.
THERE WAS A SHOCK IN THE FA CUP REPLAY on Tuesday night at ODD DOWN when they were beaten by South West Peninsula League Torpoint Athletic 1-0.
THE BANK Holiday action locally was at Tiverton Town where Truro City banked the points with two Barry McConnell penalties. David Steele began the game in midfield but Russell Jee, who had, by all accounts a fine game on Saturday I the 5-0 defeat at Cambridge, started on the bench but did come on in the second half when the home side played much better than in the first 45 minutes. Elsewhere there was one game played in the South West Peninsula League Premier Division, that at Buckland where Witheridge were beaten 7-0, a result that took reigning champions, Buckland, top of the table.
THERE ARE NO Toolstation League Premier Division games tonight (Tuesday) – however one top flight side are in action – Odd Down (Bath) have a replay in the FA Cup against Torpoint Athletic. It is perhaps also worthy of mention that there is a big FA Vase tie being played in MID DEVON this Friday night with CREDITON UNITED entertaining our near neighbours CULOMPTON RANGERS in the FA Vase.
THE ONE FA Cup tie played locally last Sunday, at Elmore (this because Wellington are as yet still unable to stage home games) saw Bodmin Town win 3-0 to move into the next round.
OUR FA CUP opponents in the next round FROME TOWN (that match is on Saturday week at Frome – September 11) are in action in a Zamaretto League South & West Division game this coming Saturday when they are at home to Hungerford Town. Heading into that game Frome sport a League record of won one, drawn one, and lost one from their three starts to date – a very similar to our own early season league record!
BOSS CLIVE JONES was very candid speaking the morning after the game the day before when he said: “We got lucky. It’s not my way to hide behind excuses or avoid the issue and the blunt honest truth is that we did not deserve to win that FA Cup tie with Radstock who, certainly, for the first 45 minutes, did enough to win a brace of cup ties, never mind put us to bed by the half-way point! But for some amazing goal saving work by my keeper and a number of different players, we’d have lost that one – that’s for sure!”
So what changed for it was very evident that at half-time things must have been said to produce the effect we saw with Rovers the on top for much of the 2nd half? “It’s frankly unprintable what was said at the break – you really would not be able to print it. Suffice to say a few home truths were said for the first 45 minutes were simply not acceptable – and I do mean that as a collective thing. Yes, there were some fine individual performances but this is a team, game and, when it’s not going our way we need players to step up and help team-mates through the battle. We decided that we had to cut the supply to their very effective number two (George Pawley) and the fleet footed front runner (Twaine Plummer). Dean Stamp held the key as it was clearly important we got him on the front foot as opposed to playing as deep as he had been forced in the first 45 minutes.”
Assistant Boss Gary McCauley was warming up almost as soon as the second half started, why was that? “That was all part of the ploy from the break. We had told the lads that they needed to shape up or be prepared for consequences, one of which was for Macca (Gary McCauley) to go on into the mid-field to enable us to re-shuffle. It worked for I thought we were much better after the break, mind you, given the poor first 45 minutes we really did not need to raise the level of play too much to top that!”
They (Radstock) seemed to lose their way a bit and that came from the touchline where there was plenty of vociferous abuse aimed towards the match official? “Yes, that was a strange one as I have always got on very well with the Radstock people and I like the way they play their football but they did get very wound up by one or two things and sometimes that can aid taking the eye off the ball so to speak. That said they have only themselves to blame for not being in the next round for they really did have the chances to put us away long before we scored what proved to be the only goal of the game.”
The goal, when it arrived, was a well worked move? “A cracking goal and I was so pleased for Joel (Joel Hawes). By the high standards he produced last season he (Joel) has had a poor start this term. I know he feels his confidence has been lacking but I explained to him in the week that whilst confidence is a key part to the game all he must do as a striker is concentrate on ensuring that if only the one chance comes his way in a 90 minute game, he’s ready to nail it and that is just what he did against Radstock. Danny (Jee) played a smashing ball back over his shoulder and it was areal strikers goal, instinctive reaction at the near post from Joel to smash it home – that will do wonders for his confidence and I expect to see more goals from the young man from hereon in”
Given that you were not happy with the general first half play I guess it is worthy of mention that we were missing key players – especially in the engine room with the real heart beat of the side – skipper Rob Norrish and of course Big Ben (Mammola ) and Goffy at the back? “Yes, we must not lose sight of that but that is why we have a squad so that when players are out, be that injured, suspended or simply unavailable, that we can cover. We brought in Steve Shore and I thought he was tremendous. It’s no mean feat to fill those magnificent boots of Ben (Mammola) and I thought Steve (Shore) did very well, in fact, I’d go as far as to say if he had not played then we would not have won the game! Of course we missed Rob I the engine room, any team would miss a Rob Norrish and so it’s a huge credit to the side that they shook off the first half owes, hung in there, and finished the tie off to book a trip to Frome.”
It was great to see Danny Jee back in action: “It was something of risk for Danny has had this bad foot injury and a safer option would have been to ease him back in but with three already missing it was a case of needs must and you know with Danny you are going to get a wholesome effort and that is exactly what we got. He is a little match rusty but it’s great to have him back and we are a better side for his presence.”
There was also a welcome return to action from Danny Baily, can we expect to see more of that from the popular player? “I hope so. He showed no post match ill-effect and it was a huge plus on the day to get him back in action. Even I the final twenty minutes that he was on we saw what he can do to teams. His direct running is something we have missed and now the task is to keep him fit”.
Reporting for the Non-League newspaper, I gave the man of the Match to Simon Hill. “A good choice, Hilly is such a club man – the goal a saving clearance/block that he made in the first half was as good a piece of defending as you will see at any level of the game. I asked him afterwards how on earth he got there to effect the block and he shrugged his shoulders and gave it: It was the change of pace: - that’s Hilly for you. Never one to seek the spotlight, he just gets on with his job and boy, does he do it to great effect. He was most worthy of the MOM billing.”
Ian Patchett had a fine game deployed as he was covering for regular left back Shaun Goff? “Yes he did and patchy (Ian Patchett) has really settled into this season as well as any of the players. He is an adaptable player who gives us such options because of his flexibility in terms of where you can ask him to play. I though t he had a very good game against Radstock.”
Next up in terms of the FA Cup is a trip to Zamaretto league Frome Town: “It’s not so long ago we were meeting Frome I the Western league and so it’s not one of those into the unknown Cup ties you can get at this stage. It’s also a case of us being one more victory away from another crack at a potentially big fish – last year at this stage we drew Poole Town, won a titanic battle with them to set up the Bath City visit – it would be ever so nice to do that again and I am sure the Chairman would be very happy with the financial incentives should be manage to do that. However Frome will be looking at the tie and thinking, with home advantage, that they have a great chance of making it into the 2nd Qualifying Round. It has the makings of a cracking game up there on September 11.”
Before the next FA Cup tie we have a week off from action and then go to Dawlish Town next Saturday: “Yes, and they won at Barnstaple Town on Saturday for their first win and a first defeat for Barum. We always have great games with Dawlish. It is, after all a Devon derby and I expect a really tough game at Sandy Lane next week. With Adam Kerswell back at the helm I fancy they will have a very useful side and we will need to play an awful lot better than we did against Radstock, certainly in the first 45 minutes, to ensure that we keep our league campaign bubbling.”
ROVERS survived a first half turning over by a Radstock side that should have been out of sight by the break. Visiting striker Twaine Plummer missed a number of chances and both Simon Hill and Ian Patchett were forced to make goal saving clearances. In the second half Rovers were the better side and deservedly won the game thanks to Joel Hawes near post strike from a Danny Jee hook-back in the 67th minute. Radstock finished the game with nine players as they had both George Pawley – the games best player in the first 45 minutes – and Matt Cowell, red carded. Simon Hill was outstanding in a Rovers side shorn of three regulars with skipper Rob Norrish at a wedding and both Shaun Goff and Ben Mammola at the Reading Festival. Rovers now visit Frome Town in the 1st Qualifying Round on Saturday, September 11. Star Man Simon Hill (Willand Rovers)
THE BIRLEY VIEW: You certainly don’t always get what you deserve in football but the majority of the faithful who trooped out of Silver Street after the game with Radstock will have marched out believing that the visitors got exactly what they deserved – well at least the visiting dug-out and the majority of their supporters. Rarely has such a torrent of abuse been spewed towards the three officials from both the dugout and a cluster of supporters behind the dugout at Silver Street. The flow of Anglo Saxon was awful (and this comes from someone who served with a sergeant major or three!!!). What was a case of poetic justice is, that as much as the enterprising play of the Radstock team in the first 45 minutes – they were comfortably the better side – the simple fact is that they did not take their chances and they had a number) and, as so often happens in such situations, after the break, Rovers showed they had tweaked their system at the break to tame the opposition threat and they grew into the contest, going on to deservedly win thanks to Joel Hawes poachers-type goal at the near post after superb work from the industrious Danny Jee. Visiting striker Twaine Plummer, guilty of a hat-trick of first half misses, was shackled well after the break but even when down to nine men, he had the chance to take us all back to Bristol on Tuesday night when clean through on goal with only Brian Cann to beat but, rather typical of his afternoon, he tucked it wide with his followers behind the goal at the club house end raising their arms to salute the ball passing canny – only for it to end up well wide of the upright! How did Rovers win this game? By riding their luck in the first half, surviving a flurry of chances for the visitors, then re-organising cleverly at the break (full m arks to boss Clive Jones and his assistant Gary McCauley). The goal was a classic and Rovers could well have had further goals after finally breaking the deadlock as Jee volleyed over from twelve yards after some Dean Stamp magic and then Stamp rattled an upright with the glovesman beaten. Carl Cliff-Brown once again led the front line like the war torn hero is most certainly is. Joel Hawes, in patches, and certainly with the way he took the goal, showed how he had struck so many in his first season at this level last year. The middle four of Paul Pocock, James Ansell, skipper for the day Russell Jee and Dean Stamp, were collectively industrious and the make-shift back line in which Simon Hill was an absolute colossus (how many times have we said that). Debut making (again) Steve Shore was an able deputy for Reading Festival attending Ben Mammola and special mention must be made for the way the two full-backs performed. Jake Wannell continued to grow into the number two jersey and he had a superb game. as did Ian Patchett who, for this writer, had his best game yet in a Rovers short – both subs, Aaron Doble and birthday boy Danny Baily, got in on the action – the later showing some wonderful late surges of power that reminded us all of what he brings to the team – oh for a fully fit Danny boy for the remainder of this season – bring on Frome in the next round!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SO HOW DID OTHER Toolstation league fare in the FA Cup? BITTON were 2-0 home winners over Fareham Town and the all Toolstation league game at HALLEN went the way of BRISTOL MANOR FARM 4-3. SHERBORNE TOWN drew 2-2 at Hamworthy United and BISHOP SUTTON went down 0-3 at Poole Town. ILFRACOMNBE were beaten 1-0 by Frome Town – hence our visit to Frome next. CORSHAM TOWN went out beaten 1-0 at Brading Town and STREET went down by the same score at Bridgwater Town. LARKHALL were beaten for the very first time this season, losing 4-1 at Paulton Rovers. ODD DOWN will have to replay after they were held to a 1-1 draw at Torpoint of the South West Peninsula League.
There was also one game played in the Toolstation league and that saw DAWLISH TOWN win their first game this season with a 4-1 win at previously unbeaten BARNSTAPLE TOWN.
Tiverton Town were hammered 5-0 at Cambridge City in the Zamaretto League. Elmore won their Toolstation League Division One meeting with Shepton Mallett 5-3, Cullompton Rangers were beaten 4-2 at home by Launceston and Bickleigh were beaten 2-0 at Stoke Gabel
MATCH DAY AT SILVER STREET with today (Saturday) seeing part II of the Rovers FA Cup 2010/11 jounrye. The opposition are RADSTOCK and kikc-off is at 3pm - see you there (hopefully). There are selection worries for the holidaying Rovers Chief (Boss Clive Jones is back from his Hols on the day before the game) with central defender Ben Mammola and Shaun Goff both unavailable owing to long standing arrangements elsewhere and there are injury doubts over Danny Jee (foot) and Danny Baily (knee). Keeper Brian Cann – who like boss Jones – missed the Longwell Green stalemate on holiday – returns to take over again after that clean sheet debut from Adi Pullin a week ago. Rovers have signed Steve Shore from Barnstaple Town and he comes straight into the side as a direct like-for-like replacement for the talented Mammola. It is likely that Paul Pocock, who is always such a versatile player, will soot back into the left back berth vacated by Goff. Rovers have striking options with Joel Hawes champing at the bit to get a staring place and of course, Dean Stamp is another who could be deployed in a midfield berth to accommodate a Hawse start alongside the power-house Carl Cliff-Brown
ROVERS have met Radstock twelve times in pursuit of Western League points. The first meeting was in the 2004/05 season when Radstock won the meeting here at Silver Street 2-1 and the game up there ended 0-0. In the 2005/06 season we won the game here 3-0 and the meeting at Radstock once again ended all square at 2-2. Radstock won here at Silver Street again in the 2006/07 season and they completed the double that term with a single goal win in the meeting at their place. In 2007/08 it was the turn of Rovers to do the double with a 1-0 win here and a 4-2 victory at Radstock. In 2008/09 there were a brace of emphatic wins for Rovers as we won here 4-1 and the won 4-0 up at Radstock. Last year we did the double for the third season running with a 1-0 win here on April 15th in what was game number FIFTY of the season – Dean Stamp fired in the only goal of the game, and we also enjoyed a 4-0 win at Radstock almost a year to the day – with a September 19 victory with a Stamp brace and one each from Carl Cliff-Brown and David Steele. It all means that Rovers have won the last SIX successive meetings between the sides.
That means – with the most recent meeting first, the form guide of Rovers facing Radstock for Rovers is: WWWWWWLL. (The last time we failed to win against Radstock being on December 16 2006 with a 2-1 victory here at Silver Street).
ON THURSDAY evening of next week (September 2) there is a very special game being played on the hallowed turf of Silver Street (thanks to the groundsman, Dave Spargo). Get along to the ground for a 6.15 kick-off and, hopefully, you will be able to see the future of the Rovers 1st team – yes, the Rovers Under-12’s make their debut in a sparkling NEW KIT (many thanks to the sponsor – all will be revealed on the match night). With a dollop of good fortune one, two, or hopefully more, of the young lads who take to the pitch I the Rovers white on Thursday night against Exeter based PHOENIX, will, in the 2016/17 season, be taking to the pitch to continue the wonderful work currently being done by the likes of Rob Norrish, Brian Cann, CCB, Simon Hill, Ben Mammola et al!!!!!!! The Rovers Under-12s (Sunday) have a new mascot – they are to be known as the ‘Hounddogs’ – and again, more will be revealed in the match night programme – yes, a twelve page programme will be available at all the Rovers Under-12 (Sunday) games in the 2010/11 season. Supporters attending the first ever match will also get the chance to buy a ticket for a BIG BREAKFAST BOX! It’s an innovative new draw being run by the Management of the Under-12s and offers one lucky ticket holder the chance to rerun home on Thursday night with everything they need to enjoy the most delicious of full English breakfasts the next day – so have your £1 at the ready – admission to the game, is of course free, but the Clubhouse bar will be open and you will be made most welcome in there both before, and after the game which is one of 30 minutes each way and designed to end at around 7.20 so that the Rovers 1st team can get on the surface to have their regular Thursday night training session – (that’s another new concept where by youngsters can then get a rare chance to see the Silver Street stars in a training session!). CHECK OUT THE FIRST ROVERS UNDER-12 (SUNDAY) SQUAD FOR THE PHOENIX GAME ON THE UNDER-12S DEDICATED PAGE HERE ON THE ROVERS WEBSITE.
THE ROVERS YOUTH SECTION PITCH – which is behind the Willand Village Hall, is set for a make-over in the coming ten days with the imminent arrival of the new goal posts. The pitch size is set to be 90 x 45 9yards and that, according to Under-12 boss Steve Birley – is ideal. He says: “I had asked Dave (groundsman Dave Spargo), if it would be possible to avoid having one of those almightily big pitches that many an Under-12 team are forced to play on as the youngsters make their first move from Under-11 nine versus nine, to full blown 11v11 and the off-side rule etc. It’s great to hear that he’s setting a pitch at 90 x 45 for that means that we will be able to engender a philosophy of pass and move as opposed to the general pass-and-show-how-much-of-a-racehorse-you-are, on the full, size pitch!
Incidentally, on the subject of the youth pitch, which will also be used by the Rovers girls team and the Saturday Rovers Under-12’s (it may also become possible to raise some funds for the club by allowing other teams to use it as and when the pitch is not used by a Rovers team – Dave (groundsman) is looking for any sort of help with both the setting up of the pitch (lining, goal setting etc, and indeed the maintenance of it during the season – if anybody can offer any help of any kind would they please contact us here at the Rovers website and we will pass on the help details to the groundsman.
THERE was a novel prize up for grabs at Weymouth Football Clubs recent Sportsman’s dinner – the chance to be the Manager of the Football Club! What was on offer was the chance for supporters to become the clubs manager throughout the whole of this seasons Dorset Senior Cup campaign. That includes all rounds, so if the Terras reach the final it will be the ‘manager’ of course, who has led them there! The winner with the highest bid will have an exclusive roll at the club in choosing the starting line-up, substitutes etc and will give all teams talks before and after the game. Usual first-team Manager Ian Hutchinson will step aside, no doubt keeping an eye out from up in the stand looking to pick up tips in the process! Chairman George Rolls does not know of any club that have given fans a chance like this before in a competitive competition. Bids have already started to come in and stand at £412.00
DO YOU RECALL US MENTIONING A SUPERB WEBSITE dedicated to the Non-League football scene? That was the Tony Kempster site which was closed when the great football statisticiajn passed away last year. Now a new site has appeared and we recommend it to all our hitters - visit www.nonleaguematters.co.uk or simply click on the link below.
TIVERTON TOWN scored their first win of the new season on Tuesday night with a single goal victory at home to Evesham in the Zamaretto League. Former Rovers stars Russell Jee and David Steele both played for the Ambers who wo the game with an own goal.
THERE WERE two games in the Toolstation League top flight on Tuesday night and they saw wins for Larkhall Athletic and Street. Larkhall are now unbeaten in FIVE League and Cup ties this early season after a 2-1 win at Bristol Manor Farm and Street bounced back fro their second league defeat last weekend (beaten 3-2 at home by Bristol Manor Farm) to beat Odd Down (Bath) 3-1 at home. The South West Peninsula League game at Penzance was abandoned at half-time owing to floodlight failure with the home side 2-0 up on visitors St Blazey. Neighbours Cullompton Rangers suffered a disappointment on Tuesday night when they shipped five goals to previously win-less Elburton Villa in their latest SW Peninsula League top flight game. Rangers did score three themselves but went down 5-3 on the night. Buckland Athletics – put out of the FA Cup by our opponents here on Saturday, Radstock, set a new record for unbeaten games when they thumped Dartmouth 6-2 and Falmouth Town also hit six in beating St Austell 6-1 at home. Tavistock won 5-1 at Wadebridge Town and the other game on the night saw Launceston Town share eight goals with Bodmin Town. In the SWP League Eastern Division there was a 1-1 draw at Exeter Civil Service where Budleigh were the visitors and in the other game, Ottery St Mary went down 4-0 at Newton Spurs.
THERE WAS ONE Monday night game played locally involving a Mid Devon side and it saw BICKLEIGH win their South West Peninsula League eastern Division game at Exeter University 2-0.
A LOOK THROUGH THE EXCELLENT NON-LEAGUE PAPER THIS WEEK GIVES ONE THE opportunity to look at how teams we met last year have started this season, and indeed how other teams across the South West have begun their respective campaigns, above us in the football pyramid. Remember BARWELL – (how could you not after those two titanic struggles last season in the 5th Round of the FA Vase). Barwell have stepped up into the Evostik Division One (South & West) and, on Saturday last, they played their very first game, travelling North to Sheffield where they won 3-0 with a brace of goals coming from Charley who faced us twice last year. One interesting point is that striker Adam Cunnington has left Barwell for pastures new). That game was watched by a crowd of 272 and that was the HIGHEST attendance in that Division with the lowest being one of 62 to witness the Carlton Town 3-0 win over Lincoln United. CAUSEWAY UNITED – remember them also from last year’s magnificent vase run? They were beaten 3-0 at Dunkirk on Saturday and that was a first defeat I game number three of their Midland Alliance season. Causeway have played three and won two and lost one. Only Coalville are 100% still, three games into the Midland Alliance season. BATH CITY, who of course gave us an FA Cup headache last September with that 5-0 win here, well they have made a decent enough start to life in the Blue Square premier and, on Saturday, they shared four goals with York City. York seemed delighted to get their point having trailed twice and it is a fact that Bath City have lost just once at home in the last year! POOLE TOWN who we pipped here to set up that FA Cup tie with bath City, well they have made an inauspicious start to their Sydenhams Wessex League Premier Division season with an early three game record of one win and two draws. Last weekend they drew 2-2 with visiting Romsey Town. TIVERTON TOWN, now managed by the former Witheridge boss, Chris Vinnicombe, are another side who have not enjoyed the best of starts though they did secure what looked an excellent point at Banbury on Saturday afternoon. They had been 2-0 down before a Joe Bushin penalty and a goal from player/coach Mark Saunders, saw them take a point but, three games into the Vinnicombe reign since the departure of the football legend that is Martyn Rogers, the Ambers are still looking for their first win in the Zamaretto Premier Division. What of BIDEFORD and how have they made the step up from the Western League into the Division One South and west of the Zamaretto League? Well the Sports ground side have ,made a great start winning both games including last mid weeks 2-0 win at Frome Town. Bideford are indeed one of only two sides to sport a 100% perfect record at the start of the season in their Division! TAUNTON TOWN are also plying their trade in the Division that Bideford now play in and, three games into their season and they have a record of won one, drawn one and lost one with four goals scored and four goals conceded. urther afield and up the pyramid – playing in the same Division as Tiverton are WEYMOUTH who of course began the season with a deduction of ten points. They are now standing at minus three points after three successive draws and, although one of the remaining unbeaten sides in their Division, they remain at the foot of the table as they battle to take their points tally into positive territory.
TOOLSTATION PREMIER DIVISION LEADERS CORSHAM TOWN have been re-instated into the FA Cup after Calne Town were thrown out for fielding an ineligible player when the sides met ten days ago (Calne won the tie 2-1). Midfielder Dan Lardner came off the bench for Calne but a complaint was lodged as the player was banned from action. Lardner's suspension was due to outstanding fines accrued in his time playing for Melksham Town last season and the FA have chosen to remove Nick Vitale and Jeff Roberts' side from the country's most famous cup competition. "Our committee went with to the Western League, who told us that Dan was fine to play but we didn't check with the Wiltshire FA, who would have told us that he was suspended," said joint-boss Roberts. "It's just a mistake really and there was no point in taking it any further. We've still got three other cup competitions that we could go far in." Mel Gingell's Corsham will progress in Calne's place and host Wessex League Premier Division outfit Brading Town in the Preliminary Round this weekend.
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