Toolstation/Hellenic Bell leaves Clevedon on a high
CLEVEDON Town gave long-serving manager Micky Bell a winning send-off in the Toolstation League Premier Division with a 5-0 win against bottom side Bridport at the Everyone Active Stadium.
Archie Ferris scored the first three goals for Clevedon, who led 2-0 at half-time, and further strikes followed from Freddie King and Alex Camm.
Clevedon issued a statement on Saturday which said Bell was leaving to work for Bristol City who, of course, he served with such great distinction as a left-back.
The statement read: “Clevedon Town have announced that following Micky Bell’s appointment as professional development coach by Bristol City, he will be stepping down from his position as manager of the club.
“The Seasiders have wasted no time in appointing first-team coach Alex White as manager and he will be assisted by Under-18 coach Ryan King.
“Chairman Brian Rose confirming the announcement said ‘On behalf of everybody at the club I would like to thank Micky for his superb efforts in his 525 games in charge and his help in rebuilding the club over the last few years. We never stand in the way of anybody who is offered new opportunities and we ourselves are now happy that Alex and Ryan have accepted the chance to continue taking the club forward.’”
“New manager Alex White said ‘Ryan and I are both very proud and happy to be offered the opportunity to manage this great club and we can’t wait to get started.’”
In another Premier Division game on Saturday, Brislington bounced back from heavy defeats to Bridgwater and Exmouth to gain an impressive 4-3 win at Shepton Mallet.
Brislington, boosted by the return of several regulars and the arrival of midfielder Ash Kington from Bitton, had two goals from George Jones, a penalty from Simon Prangley and a strike from Lewis Dunn, having been 2-1 up at half-time. Jack Fillingham, Tyrone Tucker-Dixon and Fin Haines replied for Mallet.
In the Toolstation First Division, a penalty from James Horrocks and a goal from Zac Cheetham gave Longwell Green Sports a 2-0 win against visiting Bristol Telephones on Friday night. Almondsbury had goals from player-manager Joe White and Andrew Williams in a 2-1 home victory against Odd Down, while Portishead Town won by the same score at Bishops Lydeard.
Pete Sheppard and Jack Cousins fired Hengrove Athletic to a 2-0 win at Gillingham, while Tytherington Rocks continued their good run with a 0-0 draw at Sherborne Town. An 85th-minute goal gave Lebeq United a 3-2 win at home to Bishop Sutton, whose goals came from Oaklan Buck and Jacob Reader.
In the Hellenic League Premier Division, bottom side Hallen twice took the lead at home to Shrivenham but lost 3-2 after the visitors struck in the 86th and 87th minutes.