The games are coming thick and fast for Bishop’s Cleeve in Division One South of the Southern League.

Four days after their hard-fought 3-1 win over Melksham Town at Kayte Lane on Tuesday evening, they head to Portishead Town for a heavyweight clash against the division’s leaders.

Portishead hold a one point advantage over second-placed Cleeve, but Paul Collicutt’s men have played a game fewer so there is all to play for tomorrow.

“We know they are a good side,” said Collicutt. “They’ve just won 4-0 at Melksham and they were very complimentary about them.

“If you offered me a point now I’d probably take it but I’m greedy, I want all three.”

Portishead have won 10, drawn one and lost two of their league games after winning the Western League Premier Division last season.

They won the Division One title in 2023/24 so are clearly on a strong upward curve and they go into this game having collected 19 points from their last seven games.

But unbeaten Cleeve will be fill of confidence after their comeback win against Melksham.

They trailed to an early William Christopher goal at the break but three second-half goals by attacking midfielder Toby Holland, who played only for an hour after starting the game on the bench, turned the game around for the home side.

“They were three outstanding goals,” said a delighted Collicutt.

They certainly were with two scored from outside the box and the other from closer range after he’d surged into the penalty area.

Holland, who missed nearly all of last season after suffering an ACL injury, scored 22 goals for Cleeve in 2023/24, including a hat-trick against Cribbs in a GFA Senior Challenge Cup semi-final.

“That was two free-kicks and a shot from outside the box,” recalled Holland. “It was good but I think the one on Tuesday was better.

“Goals in open play are always the best and then there’s the match situation, we were 1-0 down and then I came on and it all worked out perfectly in the end.”

It certainly did but Holland, who was being rested by Collicutt on Tuesday after last season’s injury, confirmed that he hoped to start against Portishead. 

Just six points separate the top six in the 22-team division. Cleeve have at least one game in hand on all the teams around them but Frome Town, Winchester City, Shaftesbury and Exmouth Town are all pushing hard.

Cleeve’s rivals have all tasted defeat in the league this season, however, and Collicutt said: “We’re one of only five teams in the country from the Premier League down to our level who are still unbeaten.”