Football: Bristol Rovers to have a close look at Yate ace Wilson (From Gazette Series)

Bristol Rovers invite Yate Town striker Scott Wilson to training and could also look at Matt Groves

6:00am Thursday 14th March 2013 in Sport Exclusive By Rob Iles

YATE TOWN striker Scott Wilson will train with League Two side Bristol Rovers next week.

The former Bristol City trainee is rumoured to have caught the eye of several Football League clubs after storming to the top of the goalscoring charts in Division One South & West of the Southern League and Rovers have decided to have a closer look, but Yate boss Rob Cousins is confident he will stay at Lodge Road for the rest of the season.

Yate assistant manager Michael Meaker has spoken highly of Wilson and Matt Groves to Rovers boss John Ward.

Winger Groves could also be given another chance to impress the club that released him as a youngster, although nothing has been arranged yet.

Midfielder Robin Nicholls also spent a week with Rovers when he was at Yate last year and was invited back to pre-season training, but he went to America on a football scholarship.

Wilson started the season at Cinderford Town, where he scored 13 goals, and he has hit a further 14 goals in 15 games since a new year switch to Yate, including five in the 6-1 win over Winchester City last month.

Bath City put in a seven-day approach for his services two weeks ago but the two parties have not met and it is believed Wilson has no interest in moving to the Blue Square South outfit.

The 20-year-old is not on a contract as Blue Square North side Gloucester City also hold his registration, meaning Rovers could sign him for free outside of the transfer window for Football League clubs, but Cousins does not think any move will happen before the summer.

He said: “We hope not to lose him before the end of the season, which they fully understand.

“He’s happy to stay and enjoying his football.

“It’s a good opportunity for him to have a taste of full-time football.”

Yate’s run to the first round of the FA Cup and surge up the league table has seen a number of clubs show an interest in their players.

Striker Mitchell Page also turned down a move to Bath recently, while midfielder Danny Wring and defender Scott Thomas decided to stay after approaches from Frome Town and Taunton Town respectively.

Cousins said: “It shows a bit of respect for what we’re doing here at Yate.

“Over the season there have been about ten players who have been wanted elsewhere but the majority have stayed.

“A lot of teams have been going for our players because they’ve been doing well but the ones we want to stay are staying here.”

Page suffered a setback on his return from an ankle injury in the warm-up for Yate’s 2-1 win at Abingdon United on Tuesday night and will be assessed before their trip to Wimborne Town on Saturday after taking no part in that match.

Geraint Bater returns from suspension and Edd Vahid (hamstring) is fit again, but Tom Seery (hamstring) and Josh Dempsey (knee) miss out.

Wilson will be available for Yate's visit to Shortwood United next Tuesday (7.45pm), despite training with Rovers.