Bishops Cleeve defender Will Turner said that they “love to play these big games”, as they gear up for a trip to Surrey for an FA Trophy clash against Farnham Town.
It’s a historic matchup for Cleeve, as it’s the first time that The Mitres will have been in the first round of the competition, having beaten Sholing 3-2 with a last-minute Jack Watts header to go through in historic fashion.
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— Bishops Cleeve FC (@BishopsCleeveFC) October 4, 2025
Bishops Cleeve have reached the first round of the FA Trophy for the first time in our history 🟢⚪️🏆 pic.twitter.com/iFq8MaWyv3
Turner stated that “It will be a big game; we take it as it comes, but we will go over there and give it our best shot.”
The defender scored the Mitres’ winner last Saturday to come back from 2-0 down against Shaftesbury to win the game 3-2, with a double from Jay Malshanskyj helping The Mitres stay unbeaten in the league and get to the top of the table after Malvern’s loss to Bideford.
Turner came on as a substitute and excitedly spoke about how he got to score such a big goal in front of The Mitres faithful. “It means a lot; it’s the first goal of its kind I’ve scored. We’ve had a really good turnout today, and I scored on the right end with all the supporters, so it was nice to have them come out today. We really appreciate it.”
The Mitres are unbeaten since August, with their last defeat being against Wimborne in the FA Cup, where they lost 5-2. This means Paul Collicutt’s men have not been beaten in seven games, with five wins and two draws.
Meanwhile, Farnham have lost their last three games, having been defeated in a drama-filled FA Cup clash with Sutton United and league defeats to Weymouth and top-of-the-table Walton and Hersham.
It’s been a great couple of seasons for the Town, as they’ve been promoted twice in a row winning the Premier Division South in 23-24 and the South central division last season, they now ply there trade in step three, where they currently sit 10th.
The club is known for its modern social media approach, with young entrepreneur Harry Hugo owning the club and brand deals with companies like the Sidemen. They also gained some traction over the summer, with midfielder Harry Cooksley going on the hit ITV reality show Love Island, where he came runner-up.
Cleeve will be hoping to cause a shock on Saturday and create even more history by getting to the second round of the FA Trophy and continuing their fantastic form this season.
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