Category: Team news

Willand Rovers v Bristol Manor Farm

The gates are open, the grass is mowed, the pints are flowing and footballs are flying. All these lead to the start of a brand new campaign in the Southern Football League Division One South where Rovers kick off on matchday one with a reversed fixture as Bristol Manor Farm make their way to the Street on Saturday with a 3 pm KO!

Last time out it was cup fever but you could’ve mistaken Rovers for falling ill at the first hurdle with a swift exit out of the competition at the hands of Barnstaple Town whose first-half impact set the tone for the entire 90 and helped the Western League side to set up a preliminary round tie.

David Steele’s men will be looking to make huge strides and improvements from Saturday’s performance and the side which separates us from a positive start to the season is a new look Bristol Manor Farm who have been all change over the summer with departing manager Lee Lashenko heading over to Bridgwater alongside several key names in the Farmy Army squad.

Will Justin is now in the dugout at The Creek, a whole pre season to get to grips with how things flow that side of the Avon later and a overhaul on the squad which includes a former Rover man in Brandon Bak who has been selected as the one to watch in the side with him arriving from Weston Super-Mare to West Bristol in the previous week where already he has provided a goal in their cup efforts.

Both sides met back in January in BS9 where the hosts made their mark in the fixture by putting two past Burton on the afternoon on what was a bitterly cold day by the Riverside and train tracks. At the Street however, it was a point a piece for both sides on a Willand Wednesday not to forget as Rovers provided the heat on a colder evening.

With a new season comes the chance to become a new hero. Supporters crowd Silver Street, full of hope and expectation. Desperate to cheer on the team. We’re all dreamers before the first game of a new campaign. Players, staff, fans; we can’t wait for Kick-off. The past is behind us. This is a whole new challenge and a fresh chance to shine. COME ON YOU ROVERS!

Pre-season is done, and now it’s time for some cup action. The Rovers are playing Barnstaple Town at home. Willand will look to continue this great run of form with a great result against Barnstaple Town in the cup. As we get ever closer to the start of the Southern League season.

Last time out it was a rampage for the Rovers as they put 4 past Honiton Town. Two goals from Tom Bath and then goals from River Allen and Jordan Copp settled all fears and made it a comfortable night for the whites in a preseason full of goals.

The one to watch for this game is Luke Mortimore. The 29-year-old has been around different clubs like Tavistock, and he has been here at the Stan Robinson. He will look to bring his experience of this level into his game; he will be one to watch out for in the cup.

This is the last game until the Southern League starts with a rearranged trip to Bristol Manor Farm, which would’ve seen the Whites go on the road, but now the fixture is to be played at Silver Street. This is the first game outside of pre-season and the first cup game of the year.

Get behind the lads as we look to start the season off with a great result against Barnstaple Town as we look to go into our first Southern League fixture with some momentum and finally with some positivity as we look to build on last year. Let’s get the season off to a great start.

Our last pre-season game sees us take on Honiton Town at Silver Street. After getting a win on the road against Bridgwater United at Fairfax Park. There was a sense of optimism in the air with Willand one win away from being unbeaten in pre-season.

There were fewer familiar names with new signings and trialists being called on a lot more than usual. Willand welcomed the signing of Thiago Sa, who took his place in the starting XI. As he looks to be a familiar name to the Willand faithful by now.

Honiton came into this game fresh off the back of a game against Topsham Town, and they looked to win. But it would be the Rovers who got the ball rolling, and after a few chances, the ball would drop to Tom Bath, who slotted the ball home inside the 15th minute.

The Rovers would continue to attack with shot after shot, but Honiton Town’s defence held firm, and it was just the one goal that separated the teams going into halftime, with Rovers taking control over the first half.

The second half started off flying with Tom Bath getting another in the 48th minute after an error at the back left exposed Honiton Town, with Tom Bath restoring any nerves for the Rovers. Giving us more momentum going forward and continuing our goal-scoring streak.

Willand kept putting chances through, but nothing would come from it until River Allen scored from a distance to make it three. With the big lead, the Rivers still was pushing for another, and in the 67th minute, we won a penalty, which Copp converted.

A comfortable win to finish off a good preseason for the Rovers and a preseason in which we went unbeaten. Cup action is next when we welcome Barnstaple Town at home, hoping to keep the momentum going into the start of the Southern League season.

Our last game of pre-season sees Willand welcome Honiton Town. Willand have been nothing short of successful in pre-season, getting impressive draws against Taunton Town and Tiverton Town at home and getting wins away.

In our last game even more Rovers regulars weren’t available, which gave way for more trialists to take to the pitch. In the end, thanks to goals from Tom Bath and Riki Shepherd, Willand just won against Bridgwater United. This keeps our unbeaten streak intact as we look to our final preseason match.

The one to watch for this game is Lewis Harvey; he might not be on everyone’s radar, but he is by far Honiton Town’s best player, with him getting goals and man of the match in most of his recent games with the club. He could cause a few issues for us if we aren’t switched on.

Our final pre-season match as the Southern League season is now in touching distance as we prepare for some cup action next as we take on Barnstaple Town, which is also at home. We want to end pre-season on a positive note and keep our unbeaten streak going into the season as we gear up for the Southern League.

Get behind the lads, as we have one game left, and it’s at the Stan Robinson. After this, we have a cup game at home again, this time to Barnstaple Town, which marks the start of the season. This will be a good game for both sides, and no doubt both teams are going to bring everything. Let’s make this a season to remember.

Bridgwater Town vs. Willand

The penultimate game of pre-season saw Willand back on the road as they headed across the Somerset border to Fairfax Park, home of Bridgwater United.

Manager David Steele was looking to continue Rovers unbeaten start to the pre-season after impressive draws against Southern League opposition in the form of Tiverton and Taunton and welcomed new signing Alfie Cunningham to the squad after some impressive performances. The Willand manager was also able to field a near-starting defensive line with Edwards returning to join Guppy and Searle, with Sa filling in for a vacationing Richards.

Bridgwater came into the game only 3 days before the start of their Western League, and the extra week of fitness training showed in the earlier exchanges as the home team pushed forward, Sowden pulling off an excellent save from a Tucker strike in the 16th minute. The visitor’s tempo was further affected in the 20th minute when both Searle and Edwards were forced off with injuries, replaced by Kempster and Armstrong.

The half continued to meander towards the inevitable orange break without either team able to find a firm footing, a multi-man melee in the 32nd minute the highlight, culminating in a forced Rovers substitution as Cunningham replaced Page.

Half Time: Bridgwater Town 0 – Willand 0

The second half kicked off with the usual pre-season substitutions, with Bath replacing Copp for Willand, and it took the new Willand signing only 10 minutes to announce his intentions, albeit with a shot that may have reached Willand before it finally landed.

It didn’t take long for the striker to find the target, though, with another good run culminating with a well-placed shot that nestled in the bottom corner of the Bridgwater net to give the visitors the lead in the 62nd minute.

To their credit this only lit a fire under the home team, who would have considered themselves to be unlucky to have been behind, and only a combination of luck, bad judgement, and some excellent work from Sowden kept the lead intact until Hodge beat substitute keeper Seymour in the 80th minute.

Not to be outdone by his new strike partner though, Shepperd regained the lead for Willand in the 88th with a 30-yard lob that beat Smith, and with little time left on the referee’s watch, it was a goal worthy of winning the game.

David Steele and his team will be happy with the display and even happier to remain unbeaten, especially against a Bridgwater team that should be challenging for the Western League come May.

He’ll also hope that the injuries are only minor as he looks forward to the visit of Honiton on Monday to conclude the pre-season.

Full Time Bridgwater Town 1 – Willand 2