Bishops Cleeve, who are second in Division One South of the Southern League, play league leaders Portishead this weekend in a classic top-of-the-table clash.
Paul Collicutt’s men are one of four teams from the Premier League down to Step 4 who remain unbeaten in the league, alongside Hornchurch, Faversham Town and Harborough Town.
They currently sit in second where they lead by a single point with a game in hand as they look ahead to Saturday.
However, they’ll face their biggest test yet this Saturday when they travel to league leaders Portishead, who have won 10 out of a possible 13.
Ahead of the clash, we spoke to midfielder Toby Holland, who scored an outrageous hattrick off the bench last time out against Melksham in midweek.
84′ | GOALLLL FOR THE MITRES!
— Bishops Cleeve FC (@BishopsCleeveFC) November 4, 2025
TOBY HOLLAND 3
MELKSHAM TOWN 1
BC 3-1 MT pic.twitter.com/HpKuBePOtC
“I mean, it’s a big game”, he told us. “Normally we perform better against the better sides, and they’re up there. We’ve got to work hard and hopefully we go there and get the three points. That’s the aim.”
Of course, no team goes on an unbeaten run like Bishops Cleeve’s, let alone their record-breaking FA Trophy journey, and pins it all on the players. Collicutt has no doubt been a huge part of it, and Holland doesn’t seem to disagree.
Talking about his gaffer, he added, “Yeah, he gave us a bit of a talking to at half-time. ‘Weren’t really good enough, sloppy on the ball, not really working hard enough’, and I guess we’ve been like that a fair few times this season, so we came out, worked hard, got a few goals and got the job done.”
Holland’s hattrick in mid-week brought his tally up to seven for the season and 28 for the Mitres altogether. It was a great hattrick, too, with two of the three coming from outside the box and the other coming off the back of a great run through defenders.
“(Fans have been) calling me a penalty merchant recently, but I guess that proves I’m not, hopefully”, he added. “I like the second one, that’s probably my favourite, I think. The one where I went down the wing, done him and slotted it, I’d say”.
Saturday’s hosts have scored an impressive eight goals in their last two games, with Ethan Feltham and Jack Thorne bagging a brace each against Bideford and Kyle Egan, Aron Robbins, Oliver Woodhouse and Lucas Vowles sharing the goals against Melksham.
Cleeve’s top goalscorer remains to be captain Ross Langworthy, who has 16 goals and two assists in only 17 appearances.
Kick-off on Saturday is at 3pm, and it is no doubt the biggest game in Division One South this weekend.
