First Team – Page 11 – Tuffley Rovers AFC

Rovers looking to return miles better

After Tuffley Rovers’ Uhlsport Hellenic League, Premier Division season juddered to an abrupt halt after a positive Covid-19 test for one of their players, they finally look to return to action at Fairford Town on Saturday afternoon and will also be looking to improve on their early season results, with caretaker manager, Rich Cox, having taken advantage of their three-week sabbatical to add to is squad.

The most notable addition is the signing of Cheltenham Town Academy prospect, Felix Miles, and Cox is hoping that a young talent he knows well from his role at The Robins will help to kick-start Rovers’ league campaign.

“I’m really excited to have brought Felix to the club”, said Cox on the rising star, who has signed on a work experience arrangement. “I see how good he is, day in, day out and think he will be a great asset to Tuffley Rovers. He’s someone I think can really help improve our side.”

Cox was effusive in his praise of the attacking player but thinks Rovers have brought in a player who will add more than just talent, but also a healthy work-rate.

“He works hard and takes risks and that is exactly what we want in the final third. This is a good move for Tuffley Rovers and for Felix, as it is a chance for him to further stretch his game and demonstrate his massive potential.”

The youngster has recently celebrated his 17th birthday and has been part of the youth set-up at Town since he joined their U9s but will now be linking up with Rovers for his first taste of senior football. He had recently been an unused substitute for the first team squad in an EFL Trophy win over Plymouth Argyle and has been regularly training with the first team squad at Whaddon Road.

Miles will link up with fellow Cheltenham scholar, Toby Lawrence, at Glevum Park. Lawrence, a second year central defender, has been at Tuffley since the beginning of the season making four appearances so far.

Cox has also added to his squadby securing the registrations of Kieran Tracey and Will Higgins, both from County League side Hardwicke, although they are likely to be given some time with the club’s Development Squad in order to regain match fitness.

Game off, but there will still be action at Glevum Park tomorrow

Following advice from the Uhlsport Hellenic League, tomorrow afternoon’s Premier Division fixture against Fairford Town has been postponed. This follows the postponement of our previous league fixture (away at Bishops Cleeve on Tuesday evening) following a member of the first team squad testing positive for coronavirus (Covid-19).

We are pleased to say that the player, who displayed no symptoms before their own test, remains in good health at the present time.

It is hoped that the next scheduled first team fixture, at home to Swindon Supermarine Development in the Bluefin Sports Challenge Cup on Tuesday (7:30pm), will go ahead as scheduled.

In the meantime, we have decided to move our Fourths’ Stroud & District League, Division Four fixture to Glevum Park on Saturday, so we will still have some football for our supporters to watch, with kick-off at 2:30pm. It will be free admission but visitors will still need to either use the NHS QR Code on entry or provide their details for Test & Trace purposes.

A Sunday Summary, with the emphasis on Sunday!

Sometimes you just need the week to end well and it puts very positive gloss on things…although an excellent Sunday for Tuffley Rovers was not the only highlight of a week that was only slight derailed by a fairly forgettable Saturday afternoon!

The week started with a bang, as Rovers’ U18s ran riot against a Cheltenham Town Development Squad, who shipped ten goals, as Michael Palmer’s squad hit double-figures without reply, with braces for Rudi McKinnon, Joshua Bird, Finley Kent and James Sunley, accompanied by goals for Ayomide Ajibola and Mackenzie Wilson.

With the first team game postponed on Tuesday evening, as Longlevens awaited the outcome of some Covid-19 tests, the next game was to prove the highlight of the week, as McKinnon was amongst the goals again, netting a hat-trick in a sensational 4-1 FA Youth Cup win over Bath City’s Academy side, in front of a crowd of 147 at Glevum Park. An unfortunate OG, from James Sunley’s drilled corner, completed the scoring and sets up a tie against Bridgwater Town in the next round.

Then Saturday came and there were some poor results to review, with the Fourths beaten 5-0 at Chalford 3rds and the Fifths going down 4-3 in a thrilling game against Saintbridge. Will Cronshaw’s side had taken trailed 3-1 but pulled it back to 3-3, with goals from debutants Kye Brice and Corey Jones, alongside a goal from Henry Jordan, but an unsavoury incident which saw a mass confrontation before the dismissal of a Saintbridge player, put the afternoon off course and then, with a draw looking the most likely outcome, the hosts managed to force home a headed effort which Rovers’ keeper Dave Griffiths will probably think he might have kept out that secured them the win.

With the first team going down to a fifth consecutive defeat at Flackwell Heath – Henry Birkett’s 83rd minute goal proving a rare highlight in the season, to date – it was left the the Development Squad to restore a little pride and they looked to be heading for a win over Newent Town Reserves, as they led 4-1 courtesy of a brace from Nathan Kay, a first of the season for Niall Priday and a rare goal for Jayson Watkins, but a late fightback saw Newent rally to make it 4-4 and share the points.

Sunday provided a much better set of results, with Griffiths atoning for his error on Saturday by starring in two wins for the Veterans’ teams. First he made some terrific saves, despite conceding four, to help Gary Wordley’s team to a 5-4 win over Abbeymead Rover. Dave Cornock hit a hat-trick, to pick up where he left off last season, whilst Ade Viner and Matt Mallett were also on the scoresheet. Then, Griffiths raced over to Winchcombe to play the second half for Mark Patterson’s side, who beat Quedgeley Wanderers 2-1 in their opening league game; Rovers legend Shayne Bradley scoring the winner in the final ten minutes, after Steve Badham had cancelled out debutant Daryl Cook’s opener for Rovers.

In the final game of the weekend, the Ladies’ team made it two wins from two, as they triumphed 5-2 against Winchcombe Town Ladies, with Holly Kay scoring twice, alongside goals for Jade Papps and sisters Chloe & Seana Taylor.

There is another busy week ahead, so until next time that concludes this week’s Sunday Summary.

Urgent notice: #ElGlosico postponed!

We regret to announce, that following advice from the opposition and a review by the Hellenic League, tonight’s scheduled game against local rivals Longlevens, dubbed El Glosico a few years ago, has been postponed following a Covid related matter affecting the visiting squad.

We have posted messages on all our social media pages to confirm this and look forward to confirmation of a revised date for the local derby game.

Next at Glevum Park will be the U18’s FA Youth Cup game with Bath City on Thursday, 24 September 2020 (7:45pm).

The Sunday Summary

It was a difficult week for Tuffley Rovers, but it ended on a high, as the Ladies’ team opened their Gloucestershire Women’s County League campaign with an emphatic 10-3 win at Southmead Community Sports on Sunday afternoon.

The first game of the week saw the First XI travel to play Brimscombe & Thrupp and a bad evening saw Rich Cox’s side slip to a 6-0 defeat, with the hosts scoring three times in each half without reply. Rovers’ day had started badly, with Luke Merchant ruled out and then a succession of goalkeepers unavailable, meaning outfield player Liam Wright ended up in goal.

After that difficult midweek game, it might be reasonable to assume our Hellenic League side would be looking forward to an FA Vase tie against lower division opposition, but another below par performance at Clanfield 85 FC saw the hosts record a 2-0 win that means Rovers have been dumped out of the FA Vase at the first hurdle for a second successive season.

We had another two games at Glevum Park over the weekend, with the Fourths and Fifths both hosting games, but both of those fixtures were to end in disappointment.

The Fourths conceded shortly before half-time against Stonehouse Town and as they started to chase for an equaliser, the visitors picked them off and eventually ran away with a 5-0 win, which was precisely the same scoreline in Gloster Rovers’ favour when the Fifths had entertained them in an earlier kick-off.

Thankfully, the third team did record a victory, with Alex Roder the star, as he recorded a hat-trick in his first senior performance, to take the man-of-the-match award for Dave Cornock and Luke Whittam’s side, who took all three points at Longford.

They say to save the best for last and that was the case for this week, as the Ladies’ result added some positivity amidst a difficult week! Goals from Ellie Windo, Holly Kay (2), Ellen Knight, Jess Dobbins (2), an OG, Robyn Lee, Danielle Prictor and Jayne Papps were just the fillip the club needed after a difficult few days and ahead of another important week of fixtures.

The Sunday Summary is back!

Our weekly review of the week’s action is back for the start of the 2020/21 playing season although it would be easy to hide it, given the results over the weekend!

The only midweek fixture was the highlight of the week, with the U18s recording a fantastic 6-3 FA Youth Cup win, away at Bitton AFC on Thursday evening. A high quality display of football from Mike Palmer’s side saw Rudi McKinnon net a hat-trick and James Sunley a brace, alongside a debut goal from Alex Roder, and although the sending-off of another debutant, goalkeeper Louis Evans, provided a disappointing end to the evening, there was nothing to take the shine off the evening’s entertainment.

Over the weekend there were games for all three Stroud League sides, with two of the games held at Glevum Park on Saturday afternoon, but defeats for the Thirds (4-1 against Upton St. Leonards Reserves), for whom Josh Webb scored the only goal, and Fourths (3-0 at Longlevens) followed and the only competitive point came for the Fifths, who drew 1-1 against Randwick Reserves. Another Josh (Pitt) had given Will Cronshaw’s side the lead, but Randwick found an equaliser to secure a point.

In the day’s Uhlsport Hellenic League fixture, the first team lost 1-0 at Virginia Water, with an 80th minute goal enough to beat Rich Cox’s side. A match report is available here.

This week will see the First XI making the short trip to face Brimscombe & Thrupp (7:45pm on Wednesday evening) ahead of scheduled games for all teams, save for the Development Squad, due at the weekend.

Here is hoping for better fortunes to report next Sunday….

Friday Night Football at Glevum Park….

…and a busy weekend ahead!

After the disappointment of exiting the Emirates FA Cup at the first hurdle on Tuesday evening, we have the joy of some Friday Night Football at Glevum Park, as the First XI host Hereford Pegasus in a pre-season game. Reduced admission prices will be in operation (£3 adults; £1 concessions; U16s free; Season Tickets valid) and gates will open from 6:15pm onwards.

On Saturday the ground will be open for the England match at 5pm, but prior to that our Fourth & Fifth teams will play a 12:30pm kick-off (free admission) to ensure that we don’t have another Saturday without some football at Glevum Park! The bar will be open throughout.

Then, on Sunday, our third team will be completing their charity walk, in aid of Heart Heroes, so we are opening up the Glevum Park bar from 12:30pm, to allow people to come along and cheer their return (approximately 3pm) whilst having a few drinks, as the forecast looks positive.

Fingers crossed for a great weekend. #uptherovers

Rovers bow out of FA Cup at first hurdle

Our 2020/21 FA Cup campaign started and ended in disappointing fashion, as we were on the wrong end of a 5-2 scoreline at Glevum Park on Tuesday evening.

Details of the fixture can be accessed via Christopher Wood’s match report:

v Harefield United (1 September 2020)

The magic of the FA Cup comes to Glevum Park : spectator advice

This notice is intended to brief spectators and other visitors to Glevum Park on Tuesday, 1 September (7:45pm KO).

Tuffley Rovers look forward to our FA Cup tie with Harefield United at Glevum Park on Tuesday, 1 September 2020. The tie will be settled on the night, with fixtures this year played over 90 minutes, with kicks from the penalty spot determining the winner if scores are level at full-time.

Following recent advice issued by the Football Association and Department for Culture, Media & Sport last week, this will be the first fixture where up to 300 spectators are permitted to attend and we can confirm the arrangements for the game.

Entry prices will be £6 per Adult and £4 concessions (U18s and O65s). As we are limited to 300 spectators entry will be managed on a first come, first served basis, with both turnstiles open (although we are not anticipating having a crowd of 300!). All spectators attending will be expected to undertake a temperature check and provide their details for Track & Trace purposes. Anyone who has a temperate at, or above, 37.8C will not be admitted.

In order to support the safety measures required in response to Covid-19, we have updated a number of documents, including our overall risk assessment and a new document aimed specifically at spectators attending Glevum Park:

Risk Assessment

Guidance for spectators

FA Code of Behaviour

Included in this section is a document we will use to capture Track & Trace information. If you are able to complete a copy in advance and bring it with you and hand in at the gate, that will help in speeding up entry arrangements at the turnstile.

Advice ahead of fixture with Evesham United, 25 August 2020

This notice is intended to brief spectators and other visitors to Glevum Park on Tuesday, 25 August (7:45pm KO).

Tuffley Rovers look forward to welcoming spectators back to Glevum Park on Tuesday, 25 August 2020 as Southern League side Evesham United travel to Glevum Park.

Following the advice issued by the Football Association and Department for Culture, Media & Sport last week, this will be the first fixture where spectators are permitted to attend and we can now confirm the arrangements for the game. Entry will be the standard admission prices of £5 per Adult and £3 concessions (U18s and O65s). We are limited to 150 spectators, so entry will be managed on a first come, first served basis, with both turnstiles open.

http://www.tuffleyroversfc.co.uk/privacy-policy/

Included in this section is a document we will use to capture Track & Trace information. If you are able to complete a copy in advance and bring it with you, that will help in speeding up entry arrangements at the turnstile.