Bishop’s Cleeve manager Paul Collicutt knows that his team can kick it with the rest of them no matter what.
With three wins from the last three, the Mitres are on top form as they’ve amassed the most points out of any team since Boxing Day in the Southern League Division One South.
However, keeping up this form is equally as important, especially in their upcoming game.
Their opponents Willand Rovers lost last Saturday, but are not to be underestimated, “They’ve been up there, they’ve had some good results themselves this season.
“At the minute I know they’re coming off a loss, but we know we’ve got ourselves a hard game on Saturday”
“The thing I keep pumping into the lads is that when we’re on song, we’re a match for anyone in the league.
An attitude like this is proven in results in early October, when they beat Exmouth Town 2-1 away from home, a fixture that took place when Exmouth were second in the table, while Bishop’s Cleeve were looking likely to be in a relegation battle.
The Mitres’ recent form has helped provide a much needed safety net in said relegation battle as they’ve now pushed themselves eight points from the bottom two.
The teams sit just one point apart from each other in the table, a win could consolidate either team as a top half team.
Looking ahead to Willand, a team Collicutt has never faced his in managerial career before, he believes the only thing standing away between the Mitres and three more points is themselves.
“The only team that I fear is ourselves,” the former Evesham United manager revealed to me on Monday afternoon.
“If we can go and play anywhere near as we have done in the past three games. We’ll give anyone a run for their money.”
The two sides missed out on playing the reverse fixture earlier in the season due to it being postponed due to the adverse weather throughout late November and early December.
Bishop’s Cleeve will be facing the possibility of at least three losses to the squad come kickoff as Joe Jeremiah, the defender who was on loan from Gloucester City, has gone to New Zealand to prepare for a bid to get into the U20 World Cup squad for the Kiwis.
While experienced midfielder Lorcan Sheehan has moved on to Worcester City AFC, and another midfielder Kai Newman may be missing due to undertaking a new job.
And although Collicutt is looking to bring in new players, “Yes, I’m looking to bring in two if not three (new players) just to stregthen the squad.”
However as it stands now, it doesn’t look like they will be in place ahead of the game, although there is a possibility that injured defender Leroy Odiero could make a return, as the gaffer expects him back within “the next week or two”.
