It’s back to the FA Cup this weekend as Bishop’s Cleeve visit the Sports Ground in the 1st Qualifying Round.

Bideford vs Bishop’s Cleeve
FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round
Saturday 2nd September 2017
3:00pm kick off
Sports Ground, Bideford

A Brief History of Bishop’s Cleeve
Formed in 1905, Bishop's Cleeve played in the Cheltenham League where they were champions on six occasions before joining the Gloucester Northern Senior League in 1967. There the Mitres were league champions three times, in 1968/69, 1969/70 and 1972/73. Their next move was to the Hellenic League where they were Division One Champions in 1986/87. After finishing 2nd in the Hellenic Premier Division in 2005/06 Bishop's Cleeve joined Southern League Division One Midlands before switching to Division One South & West in 2008. Cleeve achieved their highest league finish of 11th in 2009/10 and again in 2011/12. After three years of bottom three finishes they achieved a more respectable 12th position in 2015/16 and in 2016/17 they finished 16th.

Bishop's Cleeve FC
Website: http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/bishopscleevefc
Twitter: @BishopsCleeveFC

Form Guide
Bishop’s Cleeve have not had a good start to the league season suffering four straight losses and sitting bottom of the division. Their only win so far came in the FA Cup Preliminary Round with a 3-1 win over Chipping Sodbury. Bideford have had a good start with three wins out of four in the league and a 6-0 win over Wells City in the FA Cup.

Bishop’s Cleeve’s last six (WLLWLL)
28/08/17 Bishop’s Cleeve 0 Cinderford Town 3 (League)
26/08/17 Mangotsfield United 2 Bishop’s Cleeve 0 (League)
19/08/17 Chipping Sodbury 1 Bishop’s Cleeve 3 (FA Cup PR)
15/08/17 Bishop’s Cleeve 1 AFC Totton 3 (League)
12/08/17 Wimborne Town 3 Bishop’s Cleeve 1 (League)
05/08/17 Newport YMCA 1 Bishop’s Cleeve 3 (Friendly)

Bideford's last six (WWWWLW)
28/08/17 Barnstaple Town 1 Bideford 2 (League)
26/08/17 Bideford 0 Swindon Supermarine 1 (League)
19/08/17 Bideford 6 Wells City 0 (FA Cup PR)
15/08/17 Yate Town 0 Bideford 1 (League)
12/08/17 Bideford 1 Didcot Town 0 (League)
04/08/17 Bideford 3 Appledore 0 (Friendly)

Previous meetings:
2016/17 Bishop’s Cleeve 3 Bideford 3 (SL Div 1 S&W)
2016/17 Bideford 2 Bishop's Cleeve 1 (SL Div 1 S&W)
2011/12 Bishop's Cleeve 0 Bideford 1 (SL Div 1 S&W)
2011/12 Bideford 2 Bishop's Cleeve 1 (SL Div 1 S&W)
2010/11 Bishop's Cleeve 1 Bideford 2 (SL Div 1 S&W)
2010/11 Bideford 2 Bishop's Cleeve 0 (SL Div 1 S&W)
2005/06 Bishop's Cleeve 3 Bideford 1 (FA Cup PR)

Last season Bideford edged out Bishop’s Cleeve at the Sports Ground 2-1 with two goals from Sean Downing. In the return fixture at Kayte Lane a late Billy Tucker penalty earned The Robins a point in an exciting 3-3 draw. Sean Downing and Kai Fisher were the other scorers.