The Southerners, perhaps surprisingly, defeated their more established opponents 2–1. After a further number of friendly matches, the teams had their first competitive meeting when they were drawn together in the 1895–96 Gloucestershire Cup. This time Rovers, who had the home advantage at their Ridgeway ground, were the victors with an emphatic 4–0 defeat of South End,[3] in what was reported to have been a very physical encounter: