Written by Sam Russell
The Acorns are back at the 4ED Hartpury Stadium this Tuesday evening as Hartpury welcome local rivals Bishops Cleeve in the Southern League Division One South.
Hartpury will be looking to bounce back following a 2–0 defeat away to Portland United on Saturday, as they return to home soil looking to get back to winning ways.
Currently sitting seventh in the league table, the Acorns will be hoping to close the gap on the sides above them as they prepare for another important Gloucestershire derby.
Ahead of Tuesday night's fixture, here is everything you need to know about the visitors.
THE OPPOSITION – BISHOPS CLEEVE
STADIUM – Everyone's Energy Stadium
NICKNAME – The Mitres
FOUNDED – 1905
MANAGER – Paul Collicutt
POSITION - 11th
LEAGUE – Southern League Division One South
Based in Gloucestershire, Bishops Cleeve were formed in 1905 and have established themselves as a familiar name within non-league football.
The Mitres secured promotion back into the Southern League in 2022 after winning the Hellenic League Premier Division.
Since returning to Step 4, the club have continued to make progress, finishing third in the Southern League Division One South in the 2024/25 campaign before narrowly missing out on promotion through the play-offs.
Bishops Cleeve finished sixth last season and will once again be looking to challenge towards the top end of the division.
Playing their home fixtures at the Everyone's Energy Stadium on Kayte Lane, the Mitres have developed into a competitive side under Paul Collicutt.
WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE?
Bishops Cleeve have experienced a difficult run of results in recent weeks, recording just one victory in their last five league fixtures ahead of Tuesday night's meeting.
The Mitres endured a challenging period throughout October, suffering defeats against Hungerford Town and Bideford before playing out a 1–1 draw away to Falmouth Town.
However, they returned to winning ways on 28th October with a dramatic 2–1 victory over Sporting Club Inkberrow.
Reegan Messenger opened the scoring before debutant Jeff Forkuo grabbed a 92nd-minute winner to secure all three points.
Their celebrations were short-lived, though, as Cleeve suffered a heavy 4–0 home defeat against Dorchester Town in their most recent outing on 3rd November.
With the Mitres looking to respond following that setback, they will be hoping to produce a much-improved performance when they travel to Hartpury this evening.
IN THE DUGOUT – PAUL COLLICUTT
Paul Collicutt is enjoying his second spell in charge of Bishops Cleeve, having originally taken the helm in 1999 following coaching roles with Forest Green Rovers, Evesham United and Gloucester City.
After leaving the Mitres, Collicutt went on to manage Evesham United before becoming Head of Football Operations at Stratford Town in 2019.
He returned to Everyone’s Energy Stadium in 2020 and has since helped establish Bishops Cleeve as a competitive force in the Southern League Division One South, guiding the club to promotion from the Hellenic League Premier Division in 2022.
Collicutt has also overseen consecutive play-off campaigns in recent seasons, narrowly missing out on promotion to the Southern Premier Division.
With plenty of experience at this level, Collicutt will be hoping to guide his side back to winning ways when they make the short trip to Hartpury.
PLAYER TO WATCH - AARON EVANS-HARRIOTT
Aaron Evans-Harriott will be one for the Acorns to keep a close eye on as they prepare for Tuesday night's local derby.
The forward is currently Bishops Cleeve's leading goalscorer this season, having found the net five times during the campaign.
His standout performance came in the Mitres' impressive 4–0 away victory over Barnstaple Town, where Evans-Harriott produced an outstanding contribution, scoring twice and providing two assists.
With his ability to both score and create opportunities for his teammates, Evans-Harriott will pose a significant attacking threat for the Acorns.
Hartpury will need to remain organised defensively and limit his influence in the final third as they look to secure all three points at home.
RECENT FORM
03.11.26 – Bishops Cleeve 0–4 Dorchester Town (Southern League Division One South)
31.10.26 – Falmouth Town 1–1 Bishops Cleeve (Southern League Division One South)
28.10.26 – Bishops Cleeve 2–1 Sporting Club Inkberrow (Southern League Division One South)
17.10.26 – Bishops Cleeve 2–3 Bideford (Southern League Division One South)
13.10.26 – Bishops Cleeve 0–3 Hungerford Town (Southern League Division One South)
