Familiar faces become familiar foes

Tuffley Rovers will host league leaders Bishops Cleeve on Saturday afternoon at Glevum Park, with the visiting squad likely to include a host of former Rovers, including ex-Manager Mark Pritchett and Brennan Denness-Barrett who joined Cleeve on Friday after his work experience arrangement at Rovers was cancelled.

The visiting squad is also likely to include Luke Merchant, Kieran Alder and Jake Rhodes, whilst Will Turner spent time with the squad during pre-season and visiting coach, Freddy Ward, made a handful of first team appearances during Doug Foxwell’s time as manager.

After another chastening defeat at Bradford Town last weekend, Rovers boss Neil Mustoe hopes to welcome back Ashley Davies and Joel White into the starting line-up and should have pushed through one further signing in good time for the 3pm kick-off. Davies is a former Cleeve player and Rovers could include two others, if Liam Wright is fit to return alongside Lucas Price.

Rovers are desperate for points and although performances have improved in Mustoe’s brief tenure as manager, they have just one win and sit only five points above the relegation places, with ten league games remaining. Cleeve arrive at Rovers’ home with a nine point lead at the top of the table (with eleven games to play) on the back of three consecutive wins and ten wins in their last eleven league games.

When the sides met earlier in the season Rovers became the only side to prevent Cleeve scoring this season, as the sides fought out a 0-0 draw at the Mitres’ temporary home, Evesham United.

As ever, Rovers’ official match-day programme is now available online and printed copies will also be available on the turnstiles.