BRADFORD TOWN v WILLAND ROVERS: MATCH PREVIEW...

Bradford Town v Willand Rovers:

Match Preview…

This will be my first visit to Bradford Town’s ground and with both of these teams currently in the top four of the Toolstation Western League, it promises to be a really decent encounter. 

I saw Willand at their Silver Street ground during the 2009-10 season, when they drew 2-2 in an FA Vase tie, after extra-time against Barwell, in mud… Barwell won the replay, which I didn’t see but later in this preview, I have included a poem about that game and a few images too.

I have also used a few images from the two teams’ websites and Twitter pages to illustrate this preview, which I hope is OK… The statistics have been found on the FullTime website for the Western League.

BRADFORD TOWN...

Bradford lie 4th in the division at the moment with 14 wins, 6 draws and only 2 losses from their 22 games, having amassed 48 points and having a goal-difference of +29. 

Recent matches have brought a 1-3 loss at home to Melksham Town, a draw (1-1) at Bitton, then two FA Vase games were negotiated. Following a 0-1 victory at Newport (IOW), Town lost 2-0 at Marske. Last week’s 5-2 victory at home against Bridport marked a good return to league football.

Overall, Mark Wall has appeared 30 times for the team thus far and Ritchie Chandler 29 times.

MARK WALL: 30 APPEARANCES FOR TOWN...

RITCHIE CHANDLER: 29 APPEARANCES OVERALL...

Leading goalscorer overall is Sam Jordan with 19, followed by Will Hailston with 9.

SAM JORDAN: PACKING A PUNCH WITH 19 GOALS...

WILL HAILSTON: 9 GOALS...

At home, overall, Bradford have won 8 times, drawn 3 times and lost twice with a goals ratio of 37-17.

WILLAND ROVERS...

Willand lie 2nd in the division, with only Street above them. 17 wins, only 3 draws and like Town, only 2 defeats have seen Rovers perform well this season. A goal-difference of +56, nearly twice that of Bradford illustrates where the difference between these two teams lies. 54 points is a tally which means that if Willand win their game in hand, they will move within 2 points of the league-leaders.

Recently, Rovers won three times at home: 4-2 v Bridport, 7-1 v Wells City (where I saw a game recently) and 4-0 v Cadbury Heath. A draw (2-2) at Odd Down was followed by a fine 1-3 victory at Cribbs last week…

Three players have made 31 appearances overall for Rovers this term: Adam Hill, Luke Mortimore and Michael Searle. 

MIKE SEARLE: 31 APPEARANCES...

Leading goalscorer overall is Luke Mortimore with 22, followed by Craig Veal with 16, Brad Ausden with 11 and James Blake with 10.

LUKE MORTIMORE: 22 GOALS, 31 APPEARANCES...

CRAIG VEAL HITS THE TARGET...

The record on the road for Willand overall is 9 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses, with a fine goals ratio of 30-15. 

LUKE ALDEN IN FULL FLIGHT FOR ROVERS...

Full coverage of the match will be uploaded to 

themowdog.blogspot.co.uk 

on Sunday, with a match report, images and video clips…

This will be quite a drive from Solihull to reach Bradford-on-Avon but worth it, I feel, to see two in-form teams in action…

Pete Ray, ‘The Mowdog’…

Below is the poem about my one visit to Willand, along with a few images…

Silver Street Mud Flats…

Slithering, loose, mustard mud

Squirmed the tread

Of tyres, 

Reversing uneasily towards a wall

In Willand, parking in anticipation

Of Barwell’s head to head…

Shimmering, soft cinnamon slime

Sucked the tread

Of studs, 

Turning wearily towards the ball

In the Vase, baulking in desperation

Of elimination’s mental dread…

Splattering, caked, umber sludge

Slowed the tread

Of defenders, 

Tiring hesitatingly towards the pall

In parity, aching in exasperation

Of attrition. And hearts bled…

PeteRay

February 2010 

Willand’s car-parking facilities, meagre, led to street-verge parking for me; players’ studs were dragged into the mire and sapped the part-timers’ energy. 

Trench warfare…

BEFORE THE SEATS WERE FILLED...

BARWELL WARM UP AT WILLAND...

LOVE THIS...

SHALLOW DITCH...

TOSSING...
BUT WILL THE COIN DISAPPEAR?