Aspire Top Table After Gameweek One

After a long summer break, Aspire had a five game weekend to kick off the 2025/26 Slater & Gordon Premiership.

The team were hoping that, after an intense pre-season campaign, they would be able to hit the ground running and get some strong results on the board. They did just that!

Aspire 4-0 Muscle Warriors

Aspire began the season with a clash against sister club Muscle Warriors, who are newly promoted to the Premiership after winning the Championship last season.

Aspire dominated the game from the outset, and found themselves leading 3-0 at half time. Slick passing moves culminated in Dan Mclellan scoring twice, and John Dickson scoring once.

The second half was less free-scoring, however new signing Rich George managed to make an instant impact, scoring his first goal in Aspire colours from a set piece.

It was a dominant performance, and a great start to the season for the team.

Aspire 0-0 West Bromwich Albion

Next up, came a game against the old enemy, West Brom. After much upheaval in recent seasons, they were expected to use this season to rebuild, rather than necessarily challenge at the very top of the table.

They set up in a defensively pragmatic way prioritising the clean sheet over going for three points, and it was the task of Aspire to try and break down.

Despite Mclellan, Dickson and Bolding all having decent chances, Aspire couldn’t break through and were held to a point.

Aspire 4-0 Middlesbrough

Aspire were under no false illusions for their final game of Saturday, although Middlesbrough often find themselves fighting at the bottom end of the Premiership table, they are a very tough side to beat.

Last season’s encounters with Boro were nervy and tight, and Aspire wanted to make a statement by beating them convincingly at the start of the new campaign.

Spearheaded by Mclellan, Aspire set about doing just that. In a clinical performance, Aspire demonstrated their open play capabilities, but also showed an ability to cause real problems from set plays.

Dan Mclellan scored a hat-trick, with John Dickson getting the other goal, from a mix of free-flowing moves, and well-worked sidelines and corners.

It was a truly dominant display, with Aspire relentlessly pushing for more goals, rounding off a solid opening day.

Aspire 5-0 West Bromwich Albion Throstles

Sunday morning was anything but peaceful for Aspire. Goalkeeper Tom Kelly had fallen unwell overnight, and was unavailable for selection. Back-up goalkeeper Jordan Williams then arrived at the Lee Westwood Sports Centre to find that he had a terrible puncture, and would be unavailable for selection for the first half of the morning’s clash with Throstles.

Nevertheless, Aspire set about continuing from where they left off the afternoon prior. Despite the eventful morning, the team played with electric energy, putting Throstles to the sword.

Aspire played with blistering intensity and passing so powerful that they actually punctured a ball in the first half!

This was a clinic in free-flowing attacking, and a particular masterclass from the two wide players Dan Mclellan and John Dickson, who had two goals apiece at half time, leaving Aspire 4-0 up at the interval.

Mclellan rounded off his second hattrick in as many games during the second half, capitalising on a misplaced pass and sealing off a five star display.

Aspire 1-0 Teesside

With Williams’ chair patched up, and real momentum behind them, Aspire took on their toughest test in the last game of the weekend: reigning Premiership Champions Teesside.

The Tees beat Aspire 3-0 on both meetings last season, and so Aspire wanted revenge, and to reinforce their credentials as title challengers.

The game was breathless, if slightly cagey at times as both teams cancelled each other out, and as the halfway point of the second half approached, there was a chance for somebody to make themselves a hero.

John Dickson did just that, stealing the ball in the Teesside box, before dribbling around their rearguard and over the line. A massive goal for Aspire.

The maturity of our England senior internationals, Jon Bolding and Dan Mclellan, shone through as Aspire saw out a very important three points.

Overall, Aspire managed to secure 13 points out of a possible 15, leaving them top of the table after the first gameweek.

With no goals conceded, and 14 scored, it was a very productive weekend.