Tuesday 29th September 2026
Pitching In Southern League
Division 1 (South)
Shaftesbury FC 1888 v Willand Rovers
‘Milligan’s March’
By Avril Lancaster
The huddle – Larkhall Athletic and Shaftesbury prepare for battle.
Photo – Teagan Doughty.
Shaftesbury managerJim Milligan has guided the ‘Rockies ‘ to back to back wins and reshaped the side before the visit of play off challengers Willand Rovers as team spirit has been fashioned and a return of six points in games versus Larkhall Athletic and Worcester Raiders moved the team in 9th place in the table.
That is the wonderful thing about this league that a Shaftesbury or Willand may well find themselves in a play off final with a one off shot against a massive club like Weymouth or Dorchester Town….well it can happen. Often the horse at the back can become the winner. No one sees it until the final furlong. We nearly achieved this.
Milligan found his side 1-0 down at Larkhall Athletic on Saturday and switched things up to go full press with Cameron Murray in a plus one role full Dorking Wanderers style. ‘Muzza’ was like a hoover all over the Camella Stadium carpet and was everywhere.
Milligan decanted the Co2 cannister on a Larkhall side that was pootling along to victory at half time. We could have had six, we fired players off the bench on them. Brett Pitman hustled, he knows every trick in the book. Kyle Tooze came on and street fought rattling the home defence. Dawid Regula looked fresh and sharp. It was Murray and Jarvis pushing forward opening up the can up as we looked for our second win in a row.
“He’s coming lads!”. Kyle Tooze cuts an imposing figure as he arrives into the fray.
📸 Photo- Teagan Doughty.
Another player who really has shown up well arrived from Jewson Western League Division 1 Wincanton Town in the Summer is Jarvis. We all like an unlikely hero that doesn’t always get the headlines. Jarvis like Tom Hewlett and Brandon Mundy does a lot of the work often not seen as obviously as say Murray or Ollie Hughes.
Almost a year ago this game saw two Bailey Kempster goals give Willand a 2-0 lead in the first half. Toby Holmes reduced arrears on half time and then levelled the game up. Jack Hoey completed the comeback with a late winner.
Willand Rovers AFC
‘Wats up’. Ben’s Premier Division quest’
Willand manager Ben Watson brings his charges to Cockrams fresh from holding Frome Town to a 1-1 draw in the Isuzu FA Trophy 2nd Qualifying Round only to be defeated on penalties.
Having been reprieved relegation after Mousehole AFC took voluntarily demotion to Step 6 Watson had already installed some of the foundations and the knowledge that with how non league football works in most cases with four relegated teams the top one will often survive. Willand did.
Willand have thrived this season however and sit in 7th place. They started the month with a 4-1 win at Silver Street over Larkhall Athletic with Charlie Bateson, Ben McIver Redwood and Bailey Kempster amongst the goals.
Next up Willand faced an Isuzu FA Trophy tie at Slimbridge which they won 3-2, before returning to Silver Street where two Bailey Kempster goals and one from Harvey Dorothy earnt a 3-1 win over Westbury United in the Pitching In Southern League.
Kempster and Joshua Barker could not prevent Watson’s side going down to a 3-2 defeat away to Hartpury FC. Willand’s home form has carried them up the table. Certainly it seems for away sides Silver Street is more like Poison Street!
Shaftesbury v Willand Rovers
Previous Meetings
2024/25
29/10/24 (H) W 1-0 Pitman (123)
26/03/25 (A) L1-2 Hoey (154)
2025/26
30/09/25(H) W 3-2 Holmes (2), Hoey (133)
24/02/26 (A) L 0-2 (150)
Pld 4 Won 2 Drawn 0 Lost 2 F 5 A 6 GD -1
(Points available 6/12)
Fun Fact- Willand Rovers started the season with a 9-0 rout against Jewson Western League Premier Division Wellington AFC at Silver Street in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round.
They’ve played for both – Lewis Morgan, Mitch McCann, Rhomey Ashby Hammond.