It’s a break from league action for Bishops Cleeve as they take on Forest Green in the GFA Senior Challenge Cup final.

BY BILLY TAYLOR

A 3-0 loss to Falmouth on Saturday now puts Cleeve three points away from Shaftesbury in the play-off race, with the Rockies also ahead on goal difference with one game to go, as it looks very unlikely Paul Collicutt’s men will be seeing the play-offs this time round.

They can put that aside for now, however, as this Tuesday's Senior Challenge Cup can make up for the last two years of hurt for Cleeve in this tournament after a defeat on penalties to Gloucester two years ago and a loss to Bristol Manor Farm last year.

The Mitres' journey began with a 5-2 win over Fairford Town and then a win against Bristol Rovers' Development, which had to be done from the penalty spot. Then it was onto Cheltenham Town Reserves in the semis, where former Robins academy graduate Jake Lee put Cleeve into the final for a third time in a row.

Meanwhile for Forest Green, they’ve defeated Gloucester City 3-0 in the quarter final, and then a 2-0 win over Yate at the New Lawn secured their spot in the final.

The two sides met in the 2016 edition of the Senior Challenge Cup final, only Cleeve's second appearance at this stage. A fine performance from the Mitres, unfortunately, wasn't enough as the National League side ran out 1-0 winners in front of 264 supporters at The New Lawn. This added a fourth GFA Senior Challenge Cup for Rovers, their first coming in 1985 and ending a 29-year wait for another triumph.

Victory on Tuesday would seal Cleeve's first-ever Senior Challenge Cup and their fourth GFA title overall.