The Hellenic League Premier Division will see a Gloucestershire Derby take place tomorrow night, as Cinderford Town welcome Tuffley Rovers to the Causeway in a huge clash.
Town currently sit sixth in the table, just one point outside the play-off spots. Meanwhile, Rovers find themselves 11th, having picked up 17 points from 12 games so far this term.
This past weekend saw Cinderford secure their spot in the 2nd round proper of the FA Vase with a 3-2 win away at Cheltenham Saracens. This afternoon, they have been drawn away to Birstall United in Leicestershire. Meanwhile, Tuffley suffered a 6-0 defeat on the road to Rugby Town in the same competition.
The most recent meeting between the two came back in April, which saw Town run rampant at the Causeway and pick up a 6-0 win.
Parklife Sport spoke to Cinderford Town manager, Steve Cleal, ahead of tomorrow night’s clash. “It’s always a difficult one when it’s a derby, and I know Tuffley will be licking their wounds a bit after last weekend. I know their gaffer really well and a few of their boys; it’s going to be a tough game but we’re up for it and we’re at home where we haven’t lost yet this season.”
Speaking on the importance of that home form, Cleal added, “We always aim to make it a bit of a fortress and try to make it a hard place to come. We didn’t lose many games here last year when I took over, and we’ve started strong this year too. Looking back at the games, we’ve probably drawn a couple that we should’ve won, so I’m looking for us to turn those into wins going forward.”
Finally, Cleal touched on the importance of bringing in a good crowd in lower-league football. “It’s massive; you need to get the attendances up, but you have to give them a reason to come. Ultimately, it’s not just about what happens on the pitch; it’s about making it feel good with the atmosphere and the mood off the pitch.”
