Meadowbrook (red) came from behind to beat Torbay Police in last season’s Manor Building Company Premier Division Cup clash at the Dorothy Elmhirst ground. Brook made it to the semi-finals. ©MiraclePR.com
Meadowbrook Athletic manager Phil Collings is looking forward to tonight’s Charity Shield clash with neighbours East Allington United. The Dartington based side were riding high in the Premier Division before the league was expunged in January and will be hoping to build on some impressive pre-season results.
“We’re looking forward to it being a team from the South Hams that we’re playing,” said Collings. “It makes it into a bit of a local derby. East Allington are a good side and we’ve had some good games with them in the past. I hope it will be a good game for everybody watching – it will be very competitive, I’m sure.
“It would be great for the players to have a trophy to play for after the past two seasons. The club and the players are looking forward to it and I think it’s a great idea by the league.
“We’ve won every pre-season friendly we’ve played and we’re looking quite good,” he added. “We played a side from Bournemouth, of an equivalent standard, and managed to beat them 3-1.”
It would be great for the players to have a trophy to play for after the past two seasons…I think it’s a great idea by the league
Phil Collings, First Team manager Meadowbrook
“All the players from last season have stayed and we’ve had a few players come down from Totnes and Dartington to join us,” continued Collings. “That will be good for strength in depth next season.”
But just like their opponents, Brook will also be missing a key figure between the sticks.
“Dan Woods has retired,” revealed Collings. “He’s still involved with the club and helps us out but he’s decided his body can’t take it any more. He’s been a great asset to the club for the past three years.”
The first league game of the season takes place this Saturday, a Premier Division clash between Ivybridge Town Reserves and Buckfastleigh Rangers at Erme Park. The rest of the teams kick off the following Saturday (4th September), with Meadowbrook hosting Buckfastleigh.
“Buckfastleigh will be a tough team,” said Collings. “We had them in our tournament group last season and we drew them both. They were both competitive games.
“We’ve always got a target for the season and that is to finish top of the league. I believe, with the squad that we’ve got, that we will be up there or thereabouts. I’m not going to say that we’re going to win it because I know there are some quality teams in the Premier League but we hope to be in the mix at the end of the season.”