Toolstation/Hellenic ‘We have enough in our squad’, insists Thorns boss Rees
THORNBURY Town manager Jason Rees believes his team have enough in their armoury to stay safe as they continue grappling hard with the increased demands of top-flight Hellenic League football.
Overjoyed at finding themselves elevated to step 5 standing on the non-League circuit over the summer, the Mundy Fields outfit have, not so surprisingly, found life challenging mixing it with their counterparts in and around the lower reaches of the ladder thus far.
Tomorrow comes an “important” second test, this time on their travels, with Tuffley Rovers, a team five points above them in the Premier Division table they’d dearly like to rein in, having overcome the Gloucester side already courtesy of a 2-1 opening-day victory on home soil back in early August for one of only three league wins to date.
Thornbury have come a long way since their promotion to the Hellenic’s second tier as Marcliff Gloucestershire County League champions in 2018 under Andy Davies’ leadership, a fact not lost on Rees.
He stressed, however: “This has been a big step up for us; the quality of sides at this next level up is what you’d expect.
“We didn’t give ourselves the best start after that early Tuffley victory. The injury and availability situation didn’t help; it was some eight games in before I could begin to field anything like a full-strength side. We’ve also discovered as we’ve gone along that any team can beat any other on their day.
Although we lost 2-0 at home to a top team in Cribbs recently, we dominated for long periods, had a first-half goal chalked off and then ended up lucklessly losing to two very late goals.”
Thorns were beaten for a ninth time this term on Wednesday, losiing 2-1 at leaders Brimscombe and Thrupp. However, Rees is aware of the progress his fourth-bottom side have made. He said: “It’s massively important we stay away from those bottom two places. I certainly feel we have enough in our squad to ensure that doesn’t happen, without wishing to tempt fate.”
He added: “With having anything resembling a full-strength team at my disposal, I’m not saying we’d be title contenders; but we should certainly be in a more comfortable position than we are right now.
“It’s nice that the vast majority of the squad has been with us for two years and more. It’s kept us tightknit and together. Those that have joined us, like Tom Bradley, a versatile centre-half from Hallen, and ‘keeper Mackenzie Welsh, who joined us from Bath City Under18s, have proved good and welcome additions, and having Gary Kemp working alongside me as my assistant has really helped.”
Thorns’ local rivals Cribbs, meanwhile, bid to keep on course to reclaim pole position when they hit the road to confront lowly Lydney Town following Tuesday’s 3-1 away defeat by Westfields. Midtable Roman Glass St George, buoyed by their 4-1 midweek home victory over Tuffley, host Longlevens; Chipping Sodbury Town are at Shrivenham, and bottom-placed Hallen target only a second win of their campaign away at Royal Wootton Bassett Town.
Tytherington Rocks committee member Steve Smith pointed to a “vast improvement” at Hardwicke Playing Field HQ since the first team’s summer switch from Hellenic League to equivalent Toolstation League First Division status.
Rocks enter their away game with fellow mid-table side Wells City tomorrow with six wins and five draws from 17 outings to date, although they will be keen to forget their 5-0 weekend home whacking by second-placed Cheddar.
Smith, serving the club’s committee having once performed for over two decades as Rocks’ keeper, is upbeat, proclaiming: “Things have vastly improved at Tytherington Rocks and it’s great being back.”
Elsewhere in the First Division tomorrow, Oldland Abbotonians continue their drive to seize a top two spot from Cheddar as they welcome Wincanton Town to Castle Road. Unbeaten leaders Welton Rovers are without a weekend game but are in Somerset Premier Cup second round action at Brislington on Tuesday night (7.30pm).
Bristol Telephones’ home clash with Portishead Town, and Hengrove Athletic’s visit to Bishop’s Lydeard, are two games affecting tight lower reaches of the table tomorrow.
In Toolstation Premier Division, second-placed Bitton go to Street desperate for three points to keep leaders Tavistock firmly in their sights. Keynsham Town, in eighth, can close the gap between them and third-placed guests Buckland Athletic to one point with victory at AJN Stadium.