Next Match – Frome Town (H)

With the start of the 2024/25 Vanarama National League South season just eleven days away, this evening sees City play their penultimate pre-season match of the summer with the short trip to Badgers Hill to face Frome Town.

The Robins have become very familiar opponents in recent years, with half a dozen meetings since 2021 – one FA Cup game, three in the Somerset Premier Cup and two pre-season matches. City have come out victorious in all six games with, even more remarkably, Cody Cooke scoring in every clash. His goal in the pre-season match last summer took his tally into double figures but, following his transfer to Torquay United last week, the Somerset side will no longer have to face their nemesis.

The Robins also begin their league campaign on August 10, with a trip to Gosport Borough in the Southern League Premier South Division, having won promotion back to that level via the play-offs back in May. They went into the final game of the 23/24 season still in with a chance of securing the Southern League Division 1 South title and automatic promotion. In an exciting conclusion to the regular season they came from two goals down to draw 3-3 with Bristol Manor Farm but Wimborne’s win over Melksham Town meant even a win would not have been enough to pip the Magpies and they had to settle for the runners-up spot. The play-off semi-final saw Frome record a comfortable 3-0 win over Mousehole to set up another meeting with Bristol Manor Farm. Over 2200 supporters crammed into Badgers Hill and the majority went home happy as the Robins recovered from going behind early to win 3-1, thanks to a Teale header and Simpson’s second half brace.

Frome have enjoyed a promising pre-season with wins over Devizes Town (1-0), Clevedon Town (5-0), Shepton Mallet (3-2) and Westbury United (1-0). Their only defeat saw National League newcomers Yeovil Town win 5-1 at Badgers Hill. Like City they have one more pre-season game after tonight, with a Swansea City U21 side travelling to Somerset on Saturday,