Ashton & Backwell United manager Stuart Jones hailed the hiring of Craig Maward as Cheddar’s new manager as the “best appointment” ahead of the two clubs meeting in the first round of the Buildbase FA Vase at Bowdens Park on Saturday.
Mawford took over from Shaun Potter, who picked up 64 wins from his 114 games in three years in charge, in October after two years as his assistant between 2018-20.
“They are a very well-run football club, some excellent people in and out of the footballing circle,” said Jones.
“I was very surprised Shaun left. Shaun could take a lot of responsibility for Cheddar being classed as one of the big guns in the league but what comes with a point within, you would like to think the ball would keep rolling forward but it just might take a different path. Saying that, that’s not a detrimental statement that’s a complimentary one.
“Cheddar’s fortunes will turn better again as of now and it’s going to be tough. I’ve watched them twice and they have played very, very well and I’ve had a report on them not playing so great.
“They are going to be fit, full of energy, they are going to work as a team and they are doing the right things more often than the wrong things.”
And with Mawford set to manage his first ever game for Cheddar, Jones admits the club have got the right man for the job. He added: “It’s the best appointment they could have come up with, he’s obviously a knowledgeable guy otherwise he wouldn’t be in charge.
“He’s got his own ideas and wants to put his own stamp on his football team which he will do. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen a few signings come in.
“It’s a great appointment, it’s not one that an outside would have wanted to see, which again is a compliment, they have done the right thing I would imagine.
“Without knowing the full ins and outs of what’s been going on in the football club, from the outside point of view it looks a good one.”
Both sides play in Toolstation Western League Division One and haven’t met since The Stags claimed a 2-0 victory back in February, but Jones, whose side are playing in their highest stage of the competition since the 2013-14 season, says the opportunity to progress to the next round will give both sides a massive lift.
"It’s a welcome distraction from a league point of view,” he said.
“It breeds another confidence, keeps the spirits up and gives us another welcomed good distraction.
“It gives us and Cheddar another opportunity to see how close we are to the teams in that division.
“Cheddar still remain a big scalp for everyone in the league. We will still judge how good we are on how we come up against teams like Cheddar because they are still, I classify them as the benchmark, we want to do well to see how far and good we are.
“In terms of playing against teams like that they are the games you want to play, the big games. They are the games you want to be involved in.
“The players are going to want stand up and be counted and be able to say I want to compete and do well at this level.”
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