Bishops Cleeve have dropped to third after their controversial draw against Swindon Supermarine, but look to leapfrog Malvern and Frome with a win at home over Shaftesbury.
It’s been a good start to the season for Bishops Cleeve, who remain unbeaten in Division One South of the Southern League.
Before Tuesday, they had only dropped points to Bideford and sat in first place, but after a controversial (for both sides, not just Cleeve) draw against Swindon Supermarine, they’ve been overtaken by Malvern and Frome and are trailing the top spot by two points.
Shaftesbury, on the other hand, have won a respectable six out of eight, but have fallen to defeat to both Malvern and Exmouth. They’re sixth in the league at the moment, with two less games played than the latter, who are placed one spot above them.
The Mitres will be desperate to get back to winning ways, but will need to shake off Tuesday’s outcome beforehand.
They went into half-time with the score 1-1, which is how the game finished, but were fuming not be 2-1 up after a Jack Watts shot crossed the line, bounced off the goal’s wheel and went back into play.
The referee didn’t give it, nor did he award a late shout for a Supermarine penalty.
25′ | The ball is bundled in but the referee and assistant don’t see it!
— Bishops Cleeve FC (@BishopsCleeveFC) October 14, 2025
Everyone else in the ground thinks that’s a goal 👀
It remains level.
BC 1-1 SS
Speaking about the outcome, defender Will Turner, Bishops Cleeve’s longest serving player, offered, “We’ve had our warnings. We’ve experienced what it’s like through opposition, they’ve come here and had a goal chalked off which was a fair goal. We’ve had it in a pre-season game.”
“It’s unfortunate, but with those goals, these things can happen.”
Ahead of this weekend’s fixture, Turner added, “We’ll just take it game by game again. Like I said, we’re still unbeaten and we’ll hope to get the three points.”
The main player to watch for the Mitres this weekend will no doubt be the reliable talisman Ross Langworthy, who has 14 goals in as many appearances so far this season.
Another two are his partners in crime Jay Malshanskyj and Watts, who have a combined 10 goals and seven assists.
For the visitors, those to look out for are Tobias Holmes (seven goals) and Harry Baker (six goals).
In their last game, a 3-0 win over relegation contenders Bristol Manor Farm, Holmes was on the scoresheet, joined by Cameron Beard and Tom Hewlett.
When the two sides faced last season, both games ended in victory for Bishops Cleeve.
The first, a festive fixture only four days before Christmas, was a 3-0 Mitres win on the road. The second, played at Cleeve’s Kayte Lane towards the end of the campaign, was a slightly narrower affair, ending with a 3-1 scoreline.
This Saturday’s kick-off is at 3pm, and it is all to play for in the push for promotion.
