Match Preview
Willand Rovers v Exmouth Town
In what feels like an eternity with all the different bits of weather coming to cross off games in the calendar throughout the start of 2025, Rovers are finally back in action this weekend and it’s a special one as someone will take the title in a Devon Derby at Silver Street with Exmouth Town visiting us this weekend in the Pitching In Southern Football League Division One South.
Though we’ve been away from the action for a couple of weeks, the preparations have continued throughout and the focus shifts now to getting a game on and slotting back into a schedule of games for Steele’s side.
Rovers haven’t been quiet over that period with a new addition to the squad Bailey Kempster rejoining Willand from Weston Super-Mare on loan for a short period, Kemps is a familiar face to Rovers fans with him playing at Silver Street several times in his career and will be hoping for another successful spell in Mid Devon.
Kevin Hill’s men come to the Stan Robinson Stadium after a midweek battle down at Southern Road in which the Town claimed all three points over Cinderford Town with Louis Morison and Tom Bath scoring for the hosts.
One to watch for the visitors this Saturday would be rising star and keeper Frankie Phillips who is currently on loan from the Exeter City academy but age is just a number with his potential high and keeping plenty of clean sheets for Town this season which earned him a loan extension the other week to continue his development.
The last time out between both sides was a cold Wednesday night on the River Exe with it being below freezing but the heat was on the pitch as Phil Mendonca broke the deadlock, Town cancelled it out with an outside-the-box strike but all of that led up to Fin Rooke sealing the three points and taking it back up the M5 in the 94th minute.
Devon Derbies are always special occasions but it will be even better with Rovers fans waiting just over two weeks to see the side back in action after a hiatus of the ball rolling around. Come join us this weekend for the thrills and spills of the Southern League.
#WeAreRovers
