FOLLOWING THE SALTMEN

Hellenic League Premier Division

14 March 2026

We are not sure why but Jaddy G, one of our regular drivers to away fixtures, is currently overseas. It’s all a bit hush, hush. I’ve heard it suggested he has taken up a vacant post as trade envoy, with a specific interest in licensed victuallers. Others have suggested that his years of work in the diplomatic corps have made his services in the currently unsettled geopolitical landscape invaluable to world leaders. Of course, there’s also an outside chance he is on a family holiday in Spain. I suspect we will never know the true reason for his absence.

Anyway, Len Boyd grasped the nettle and drove us down to Tuffley on a lovely, sunny early spring afternoon. As one of the southern suburbs of Gloucester, Tuffley is one of the easier away trips and within less than an hour we were enjoying some refreshing hydration on the patio in front of Tuffley’s small but welcoming club house.

Spoiler alert, I like Tuffley Rovers. I like their attitude to football, incredible season ticket offers in pre-season and their overall reasonable pricing policy. There is no feeling of being taken advantage of, unlike at one or two of the more expensive places we’ve been this season. Above all, I like their honesty and integrity. It’s not every club who would volunteer the information that they had (in good faith) fielded an ineligible player in our Challenge Cup game there earlier this season. That’s a class act!

The game kicked off in the warm sunshine. Spa came out of the stalls quickly and within moments of the kick off came close to opening the scoring as Perry Moss contorted himself to get something on a dangerous far post cross from James Baldwin. It looked like Pez guided the ball towards goal with his face. Sadly the ball passed the outside of the post and all Pez had to show for it was a size 5 UhlSport ball print on his nose.

Spa worked hard and enjoyed the majority of possession in the opening period but despite their efforts could not find the opening. Then with less than 15 minutes played, Spa coughed up possession when the ball should really have been launched into the Pat Tobin stand. Karnell Chambers is far too dangerous to present with gifts and he made no mistake to give our hosts the lead.

That lead was doubled a few minutes later when Spa again presented that man Chambers with the ball. He gratefully headed towards the Spa goal and neatly recorded his second of the day.

Admirably, the Saltmen saddled up, got back on their horses and pulled a goal back on 30 minutes. Cory Rudd, who is known for striking harder than a Brummie Binman, used his head to power home a Nathan Binner cross, to complete the first half scoring.

The second half began with the Saltmen pressing for the equaliser but Anton Robinson in the Tuffley goal had other ideas. A string of fine saves denied just about every one of the Spa side, including one from Charlie Tilley which I still don’t think is possible.

Robinson’s only noticeable mistake led to the Spa equaliser. The home stopper looked to have made a routine catch but inexplicably lost control of the ball which fell to Ben Tilbury who slotted the ball home and it was 2-2 with Spa in the ascendancy.

Unfortunately, parity only lasted five minutes. The referee deemed a fifty/fifty challenge involving Spa substitute Will Dallaway to be a foul and awarded Tuffley a free kick around 30 yards from the Spa goal. I can only think that it was their turn. The resulting set piece was converted by Mustoe whose header gave luckless Spa keeper Joe Stockton no chance.

Spa never gave up but a well organised rearguard effort by Tuffley kept Dugmore, Moss and Co at bay until second half injury time when Charlie Tilley perfectly timed his run onto a through ball and fired the ball into the net. Sadly for him, the linesman made a dreadful call, adjudging Charlie to have been offside. FTS was standing perfectly in line with play and can confirm the decision was wrong. There was a Spa player in an offside position but in no way interfering with play and it wasn’t Mr Tilley.

Tuffley played well. They are a disciplined outfit, clearly coached very well, and they stuck to a game plan very effectively.

Spa will consider themselves unfortunate to come away from the Glevum Stadium pointless. But we go again tomorrow evening when Cirencester visit Kingys.

See you there.

Cheers

FTS