Two headlines this month and as football is our game I’ll
concentrate firstly on our achievement of reaching the Red
Insure Cup Final and the possibility of lifting the Southern
League Cup for the first time since 1951 which is before most
of our supporters were a gleam in their father’s eyes!
In a competition that we weren’t due to enter it has
provided some midweek excitement and it hasn’t been an
easy journey. We have had to show German prowess in
penalty shoot outs to reach this stage!
The 1st round was away to Cinderford Town back in October.
In a very entertaining game, with defending which probably
aged both managers the score after 90 minutes was 3-3 with
our goals coming from Jarrad Wright, Elliot Scotcher and
Jaye Bowen. Cameron Clarke saved the first Cinderford
penalty and we proceeded to score our five with Jon Brown,
Guillem Bauza, Elliot Scotcher, Jarrad Wright and Jaye Bowen
and we progressed to Round 2 which took us to Yate Town in
November. We allowed Yate an early goal but soon put
them in their place with goals from Corey Jenkins, Bowen
and Kayne McLaggon with no further reply from the home
side. We won 3-1 and it could have been even more
comprehensive such was our dominance.
Club Officials
Meurig Price (Chairman)
E: [email protected]
M: 07503 170 937
Paul Donovan (Vice Chair)
E: [email protected]
M: 07940 657 982
John Strand (Secretary/Treasurer)
E: [email protected]
M: 07949 623 722
Julian Axhorn
E: [email protected]
M: 07956 553 370
Richard Bennett
E: [email protected]
M: 07852 950 486
Mike Williams
E: [email protected]
M: 07590 676161
Mark Evans
E: [email protected]
M: 07900 671937
Phillip Evans
E: [email protected]
M: 07961 431 290
Jamie Mack and Club Secretary
E: [email protected]
M: 07823 776422
Phil Mack
E: [email protected]
M: 07843 849 607
Robert Parker
E:[email protected]
M: 07977 902250
Barry Thomas
E: [email protected]
M: 07847 167 610
Anthony Hughes
E: [email protected]
M: 07737 022 293
Rob Price (CEO)
E: [email protected]
M: 07980 601 687
Phil Jones (Business Development
Manager)
E: [email protected]
M: 07807 192 303
The 3rd round finally gave us a home tie against fellow
Premier Division outfit, Chippenham Town. Both sides made
changes from the previous Saturday (8 for us and 10 for
Chippenham) and our squad proved to have more strength
in depth as we easily won 3-1 with our goals coming from
Jenkins and a brace from Kerry Morgan in his last
appearance for the Martyrs before his move to Port Talbot.
Next up was a return to Penydarren Park for Steve Williams
and his Paulton Rovers side. A game that we should have
sewn up in the 90 minutes went to penalties. Chad Bond,
Ryan Prosser, Traylor, Reffell and Ashley Evans scored for the Martyrs and Cameron Clarke saved
their second penalty and we were through to the semi finals.
© Phil Mack March 2016
Our semi final opponents were Northwood and in what can only be described as a poor game the
score after 90 minutes was 0-0 with both sides lucky to get nil! Again we prevailed thanks to our
penalty takers. Ashley Evans’s kick was saved but McLaggon, young Jordan Chappelle, Wright and
Adam Davies scored to give us a 4-2 win and a final to look forward to.
The final is played over 2 legs with the first one being at the Miller Argent Community Stadium on
Tuesday 22 March with a 7.45pm kick off. Normal league prices will apply. The 2nd leg will be played
at St Ives’s ground on Wednesday 6 April.
Please come along to support the lads in this Cup Final which is our only chance of winning
silverware this season.
Off the Pitch.
VVP
In our last Board Meeting a week or so ago, minutes of which will be Emailed to Owners shortly
(basically when I’ve finished them!) CEO, Rob Price updated us as follows  The balcony fire escape is to be fitted by week ending 25 March and Grandstand facias will
be cleaned and painted.
 Most of the external render has been completed with the pitch side wall of Romans and the
lower area of the original build to be completed in w/c 14 March.
 All capping is on site to be completed this week as scaffolding has now been dropped.
 Turnstiles are fitted and are awaiting electrics and surrounds.
 Lift is fitted and stair lift between original and new build to be fitted this week.
 All internal doors fitted
 All wall tiling finished with only the floors in toilets left on the lower floor which are too wet.
 Floor in extension was tested today and it is now dry enough to lay the flooring. That is
booked in for next Wednesday.
 All suspended ceilings finished this week.
 All furniture to be delivered w/c 14 March
 Kitchen to be delivered and fitted w/c 14 March
 Coors to fit pumps etc. this week and all bar fittings are completed.
 Glass washers and ice machines to be installed in Webley’s and Romans.
 Old wall will be demolished and new fencing, including gate in car park from Romans to
David Miles stand to be fitted in w/c 21 March.
 Air conditioning all fitted just needs venting through the roof.
 A telephone line to the club for the lift for emergency phone and internal telephone system
to be installed from Webley’s to Romans
 Agreed to use Sky multi room for the facility.
 EPOS till system to be fitted in next two weeks and Dave Powell has provided food and
beverage prices to be programmed in. Training on till usage will be provided on installation.
 Colin, John and Steve are working through the red tape that is needed to be in place prior to
opening, plus all ongoing maintenance schedules.
 Demolition of the entrance, including turnstiles planned for next Saturday and some
Western League Clubs has approached us for the 4 turnstiles – Wells City, Bitton (2) and
Willand Rovers. They will collect.
 A disabled viewing area is being created in the Grandstand next to the entrance tunnel with
room for 4 wheelchairs and seats for carers.
© Phil Mack March 2016
Now, the news we’ve all been waiting for! At the time of writing o Handover of the project will take place on Thursday 31 March 2016.
o It is likely that the Club Owners AGM will take place in Romans on Thursday 7 April 2016
which will include a site tour of the new development. This is for Owners only and
attendee names will be checked against a list of all Owners.
o The first wedding will be held in Webley’s on Friday 8 April 2016
o Webley’s will be open to all on Saturday 9 April 2016 in our home game against St Neots
The long road is nearly at its end and on behalf of all club officials I would like to apologize for the
delay in the completion of this project and for the disruption caused. No-one has been more
frustrated than us but soon it will have all been worthwhile.
More on the Pitch.
Since the last edition we have consolidated our league position with some good performances and
important results including a draw and win against the first and second in the table but we have also
demonstrated inconsistency in our performances. After our win against Histon our next opponents
at the park were Poole Town. We took the lead through a Keyon Reffell header and could have
increased our lead but were pulled back by an 85th minute equalizer from Will Spetch and the game
ended 1-1 and most neutrals considered it 2 points dropped. The following Saturday we travelled to
Biggleswade and outplayed them in a 3-0 win. Corey Jenkins settled any nerves with an early goal
but it wasn’t until late in the 2nd half that we made the game totally safe thanks to a wonder goal
from Ian Traylor who ran ⅔ of the length of the pitch beating several defenders on the way before
slotting home and a cool finish from Reffell rounded it off. If that performance was Jekyll, Mr Hyde
made an appearance in our next home game against Frome Town. We conceded an early goal but
Jarrad Wright equalized with a header just before the break. We did have a couple of chances in the
2nd half as did Frome but it was 2 points dropped against a side in the bottom 4. That man Hyde was
also present in our next game at home against Dorchester. We gave away 3 bad goals in a 4-2
defeat with our 2 coming from Traylor and Rhys Baggridge. We did have 2 good penalty shouts
waved away by the referee.
Such is football, we gave a superb performance in our next game away at Stratford. Kayne
McLaggon and Traylor scored 2 excellent goals before the break and Jenkins scored an equally good
goal to wrap up an emphatic 3-0 victory. To demonstrate our inconsistency we travelled to
Dunstable the following Saturday and a slow start with poor defending left us 2 down after 10
minutes. We improved in the latter stages of the 1st half and did well in the 2nd but we only had a
Traylor penalty to show for our efforts and we lost 2-1. Our planned home game against
Chippenham a few weeks previously was postponed as monsoon conditions flooded the pitch and
the rearranged game saw us give one of our best performances of the season as we cruised home
winning by 2-0 thanks to goals from Traylor before the break and a Prosser lob over the keeper who
seemed to spend most of the match closer to the halfway line that his 18 yard area. We welcomed
our friends from Leamington the following Saturday and were beaten 2-0 by a side based on a strong
defence and quick breaks but in truth we were far from our best. Our next game was on the 3G
surface at Bedworth and despite going 1 down thanks to another defensive error, goals from Gethin
Jones and McLaggon won the game and with the chances we created, particularly in the first half,
the win could have been more comprehensive. We are now comfortably mid table and are aiming
for a minimum of 60 points.
On the playing side, although Tom Bradley and Cortez Belle are still injured, the other absentee Elliot
Scotcher could be back in the squad for the game against Cambridge. A couple of players have left
the club. Chad Bond, who was only a short term signing and was just coming into form has returned
to play in North America. The fans favourite, Kerry Morgan has also left the club, signing for Port
© Phil Mack March 2016
Talbot in the Welsh Premier citing the desire to play more football. Kerry made 109 appearances for
the Martyrs, scoring 30 goals but of his appearances this season, which has been blighted by injury
of his 18 appearances, 13 were off the bench and he scored 3 goals. We thank them for what they
have done for the Martyrs and wish both well at their new clubs.
More off the Pitch.
Former chairman John Reddy passed away on 26 February 2016. Under his stewardship JR oversaw
a period of great success, including the winning of the Welsh Cup, beating Atalanta of Italy at home
in the European Cup Winners Cup (losing on aggregate) and promotion to the Conference after
winning the Southern League Midland Division and the following season the Premier Division. His
funeral was on 14 March and was well attended showing the regard he was held in. We offer
sincere condolences to his wife Dot, son Anthony and grandson Luke.
Attention all Owners
Minutes of meetings etc. are sent via Email to all Owners for whom we have a valid Email address. I
know that some of you have not been receiving such communications either because your Email
address has not been entered correctly on our database or we do not hold an Email address for you.
If you are one of those please Email me at [email protected] so I can add your Email
address to my database and ensure you receive all future communications.
Attention all Supporters
I have received complaints from supporters of people smoking in the covered areas of the ground.
Can I please remind you that smoking is not allowed in the Grandstand, David Miles Stand or the Bob
Bank Terrace. Smoking is allowed in uncovered areas of the ground. If you see someone smoking in
the non smoking areas mentioned above please inform the nearest steward. As a smoker myself I
would ask that fellow smokers show due consideration to others.
Board Elections
At the recent election count the votes recorded were is as follows –
Nick Gulliford 17
Genu Imiolczyk 37
Malcolm Johnson 57
Jamie Mack
94
Phil Mack
109
Robert Parker 82
John Strand
113
John, Phil, Jamie and Robert were elected. Thanks to all who stood for election and to those who
voted.
Next week’s prize is an estimated £4250 so get your ticket in now. Prize correct at time of writing.
Tickets are on sale from the usual outlets and at the ground on matchdays.
© Phil Mack March 2016