Toolstation/Hellenic White expecting tough Vase test against Bater’s Mangotsfield
CLEVEDON Town manager Alex White admits his team could hardly have picked a tougher Isuzu FA Vase tie in the wake of their successful former manager Phil Bater’s move to try to resurrect the fortunes of their opponents tomorrow, Mangotsfield United.
The Seasiders entertain old adversaries Field at the Everyone Active Stadium in a second-round collision of one-time Southern League heavyweights.
These days Field are striving to pull clear of the Hellenic Prem basement with their former boss Phil Bater, who famously led Clevedon to the FA Cup first round proper for the first time in their history in 2006, back in charge for a second spell at Cossham Street.
White admitted: “In general, things are a bit frustrating. We thought we’d cracked it a month or so ago with an excellent run. But football usually finds a way to bring you back down to earth, and we need to get out of a run of three games without a win.
“Still, I’m really excited about the FA Vase on Saturday, because historically it’s been a competition we’ve done quite well in; we’ve made ourselves some great memories over the last few years. It goes without saying we’re all desperate to make some more.
“We probably couldn’t have picked a worse time to face our opponents on the back of a win for them in Phil Bater’s first game back there as manager. They’ll be pumped up and we will have to match that.”
White continued: “It’s one of those where both sets of players probably won’t know too much about each other. I understand there’s a lot of history between the two clubs, although that will probably count for nothing when we cross the white line on Saturday.
“We’re looking to bounce back; we need a big performance and I’m glad we’re at home, because last weekend aside, when Helston beat us 2-0, we’ve been pretty good there. I’m sure it’ll be a close and competitive encounter.”
Mangotsfield acted quickly to replace John Allen, who had, along with his former Keynsham Town coaching team, only been in charge since July, with their old boy Bater.
The 67-year-old former Bristol Rovers player and manager, who had been announced as Mangotsfield’s new supremo back in February before the move fell through “due to unforeseen circumstances,” kicked off life back on familiar
Cossham Street soil – he’d previously led Mangos between 2009 and 2012 - with a 4-2 home victory over Tufley Rovers at the weekend.
A disappointed Allen, meanwhile, accepted: “Sometimes in life things are just not meant to be. The results have not been good enough, and although there are reasons for this, there are no excuses.
“I’m very proud to have been Mangotsfield manager and I thank the committee for giving me the opportunity to manage one of Bristol’s most prestigious clubs.”
Thornbury Town face a fascinating Vase fixture of their own as they welcome Cribbs to Mundy Fields for a bottom versus top all-Hellenic Premier derby bout.
Victory for Richard Joyce’s Thorns would represent an enormous achievement given their precarious position at the foot of the table with five points to their name, and Cribbs’ exploits at the summit with one defeat from 14 matches, a 1-0 home reverse at the hands of their closest challengers Malvern Town last Saturday.
Nonetheless, Mundys manager Joyce insists he’s been heartened by recent efforts from a Thornbury team he believes are showing signs of becoming a genuine top-flight force, while candidly conceding: “There’s still a huge amount of work to do.”
The boss maintained: “We have a stronger group now; it feels as though we’re moving in the right direction again. If we were going backwards, I’d be seriously worried now. But that’s not the case.
“Aside from our recent 5-1 defeat at Brimscombe, we’ve been competitive right up to the last whistle in pretty much every game we’ve played. We recently held Westfields, a strong team with a budget to match, to a 1-1 draw when we’d have previously struggled to get anything from that one.
“A week later, we went all the way to Cornwall to take on St Blazey in the Vase and came home from a great day down there with a brilliant 2-1 win to set up for this Saturday’s game with Cribbs.
“We’re getting into better scoring positions now and taking more chances.”
Joyce believes the returns of Harry Brock and Jack SheppardCozens to the club have been contributing factors in Thornbury’s turnaround, along with their 10-goal top scorer last season Brandon Benjamin’s comeback from injury.
“Jago Thompson-Roberts, who had previously been with Forest Green, has shown real maturity and quality too since coming in from Weston-super-Mare at centreback, and at the tender age of 18 still,” Joyce acknowledged.
“The group is generally more settled again; and the new lads have blended in well with the more established ones. We have that old Thornbury vibe back, which is what the club was founded on.
“Of course, we’re all looking forward to the Cribbs game. It’s ironic because the furthest we’ve ever gone in the Vase is this same second-round stage when Cribbs beat us 3-1 after extra time in 2019.
“We’ve already played them twice in the league this season. The first we lost 2-1 at home on the opening day of the season, when we had the better chances but they showed their power at set-pieces by scoring twice from them.
“We then went down 2-0 to them at their place towards the end of September, when we had a lot of the ball but just couldn’t penetrate. At 1-0 down to a first-minute goal, they eventually scored a second on the counter in the second half and it was a long way back for us then.
“Cribbs are clearly a good team with good resources intent on reaching the Southern League, while we are simply trying to stay afloat at this level.”
Elsewhere in the Vase tomorrow, Oaklands Park plays host to Roman Glass St George’s rapid reunion with Hellenic Premier rivals Corsham Town, who pipped Saints 1-0 in a midweek league tussle at the same 3G venue at the start of the month.
Chipping Sodbury Town host Cirencester Town Development for an Hellenic Challenge Cup firstround affair at the Ridings.
Ashton & Backwell United host Shepton Mallet, who have just lost their management team of Craig Loxton and John Durbin to Paulton Rovers, in the Toolstation Premier Division, while Cadbury Heath visit Helston Athletic and Keynsham Town go to Street.