It’s time for our third instalment of Meeting the League, as the new Southern League Div One South season edges closer.
In this week’s look at the league, we meet the two remaining teams who finished in last season’s play-offs and the team that the Acorns created a moment of the season against.
So, let’s delve right in.
BISHOPS CLEEVE
NICKNAME: The Mitres
FOUNDED: 1905
STADIUM: Everyone’s Energy Stadium
DISTANCE TO TRAVEL: 15.5-miles
MANAGER: Paul Collicutt
25/26 FINISH: 6th (Play-off semi-finalists)
CLINCHING PLAY-OFFS LATE
Bishops Cleeve were play-off contenders all throughout the 2025/26 campaign but started to fall away close to the end.
Defeats at Falmouth Town, Swindon Supermarine, Mousehole and draws at Willand Rovers and Falmouth, saw the Mitres play-off hope dwindle.
But a final day win at Bideford AFC meant that the side finished sixth, securing a play-off spot following the dismissal of Portishead Town.
Cleeve went on to face eventual promotion winners, Malvern Town, forcing the Hillsiders into extra time but fell to a 2-1 defeat deep into the extra period.
MEETING WITH THE MITRES
During the two meetings last campaign, between the Acorns and Mitres, both sides earned victories over the other.
Our first encounter came after Boxing Day at the 4ED Hartpury Stadium where the Acorns ran out confident 3-0 winners thanks to goals from Spencer Hamilton, Noah Coates and Louis Manning.
However, in the reverse fixture, it was the Mitres who came away 3-1 winners in a game that was flipped on its head following a red card decision.
SHAFTESBURY AFC
NICKNAME: The Rockies
FOUNDED: 1888
STADIUM: Cockrams
DISTANCE TO TRAVEL: 15.5-miles
MANAGER: Josh Staunton
25/26 FINISH: 5th (Play-off runners-up)
ALMOST TASTE LIKE PROMOTION
Shaftesbury spent the majority of the season fighting in and around the playoff picture before eventually securing a fifth placed finish.
The Rockies finished the season losing just one of their final eight games, completing the campaign with an enthralling 4-4 draw with Exmouth Town.
These results set up a play-off semi-final against Winchester City in which a Jack Holmes brace saw the Rockies into the final.
Shaftesbury met with Malvern in front of a crowd excess of 2000 and played an entertaining five goal thriller.
After going behind early doors, the Rockies levelled shortly after before taking the lead at half time but eventually fell to an inspired Malvern second half performance suffering a 3-2 defeat.
ENTERTAINING MATCH-UPS
During two meetings with the Rockies, eight goals were shared out with the Acorns going unbeaten against the play-off finalists.
It was a six-goal thriller at the 4ED when the Acorns came from behind twice to salvaged a 3-3 draw.
Louis Manning and Nathan Jenkins helped us come from 2-0 down to 2-2 before Noah Coates releveled the game in the second half to salvage the point.
But the Acorns secured all three points in the reverse fixture, a fortnight later, with Noah Coates and Manning on target to see out a 2-0 win.
SWINDON SUPERMARINE
NICKNAME: The Spitfires
FOUNDED: 1992
STADIUM: The Imagine Cruising Stadium
DISTANCE TO TRAVEL: 39.2-miles
MANAGER: Bobby Wilkinson
25/26 FINISH: 12th
FIFTIES THE MAGIC NUMBER
They always say that 50 points is the sweet spot for staying up and Swindon Supermarine made that a reality finishing last season on 50 points.
This total saw the Spitfires finish 12th, seven points off the drop zone, after a mixed season, following their relegation from the Southern League Premier South in 2024/25.
The Spitfires lost just one of their last five games last campaign, helping propel Bobby Wilkinson’s side up into a mid table finish.
Inconsistency affected the Spitfires last time out, with the side winning 13 and drawing 11 of their 42 games.
NINE MEN, NO WORRIES
The Acorns trip to the Spitfires, last campaign, was voted as the clubs moment of the season when the Acorns grabbed a hard fought 2-1 victory, with just nine-men on the pitch.
Manning grabbed a brace on the afternoon, helping keep the Acorns slim play-off hopes alive.
In the reverse fixture, the same result was earned by the Acorns, as second half goals from Coates and Jenkins turned the game on its head.
We look forward to crossing paths with all these new clubs and wish them the best of luck next season!
