⚽️ Cornwall Football: January 3, 2023
Godolphin Atlantic withdraw from SWPL; Truro hold onto late win; Falmouth, Mousehole and Torpoint victorious in Western League
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Good afternoon, and Happy New Year! 👋
We start with some sad breaking news: the committee at Godolphin Atlantic have disbanded the club with immediate effect.
The Newquay club, which was formed in 1980, had been members of the South West Peninsula League since 2008.
🔵 Breaking: Godolphin Atlantic withdraw from SWPL
After 15 years as a member club, Godolphin Atlantic have announced their exit from the South West Peninsula League ‘with immediate effect’, writes Tom Howe.
Following a number of tumultuous years at Godolphin Way, the club’s hierarchy have ultimately taken the decision to disband the 2012/13 Division One West championship-winning club.
In their heyday, a side often dubbed by visiting parties as a ‘pub team’ – owing to their base at the Godolphin Arms pub in Newquay – mixed it with the best at step six and reached back to back Senior and League Cup finals.
However, an initial player exodus led to the first in a succession of rebuilds under the stewardship of committed club stalwarts including Nigel and Tania Semmens, alongside Margaret Ashwood.
Faced with yet another rebirth following the departures of manager Adam Paterson and his successor Harry Pope, their latest challenges proved insurmountable and led to an official statement, signed by chairperson Tania Semmens and secretary Ashwood, that reads as follows:
“On behalf of GAFC we as a committee have disbanded the club with immediate effect. We will no longer be playing in the South West Peninsula League this season.
“We would like to thank everyone involved [including] past and present managers, players and supporters.”
➡️ Read the full story on our website
🐯 City hold on for important victory
Truro City survived a late scare to record an important three points in their Southern League Premier South title quest, with the White Tigers eventually triumphing 3-2 over Tiverton Town at Bolitho Park.
Goals from Connor Riley-Lowe, Tyler Harvey and Adam Porter looked to have sealed victory until Lucas Vowles’ late effort, but Paul Wotton’s side saw out the final moments to get 2023 off to a positive start.
⚽ City lead: The wing-backs combine as Kyle Egan crosses to the unmarked Riley-Lowe at the back post who finds the net with a looping header. 1-0 (21’)
⚽ Quick second: There isn’t a lot of time for Tivvy to settle back down before City double their lead. Porter nicks the ball from Dylan Jones and feeds it to Harvey, who slots it past Lewis Williams from six yards out. 2-0 (26’)
⚽ Back in it: Tiverton have a foothold in the game thanks to Tom Purrington, who weaves his way between the City defence and slots the ball past James Hamon. 2-1 (49’)
⚽ Breathing space: Former City skipper Jamie Richards fails to clear the ball and his fluffed clearance falls for Porter, who controls it and lifts it over Williams. 3-1 (51’)
⚽ Late wobble: Vowles heads home from a corner to make it a nervy end to proceedings at Bolitho Park, but City see it out. 3-2 (89’)
📋 City: Hamon, Riley-Lowe, Adelsbury, Haste, Porter (Brett 90), Dean, Harvey, White, Knowles (Sullivan 67), Neal, Egan. Subs (unused): Rice, Yetton, Wright.
“At 3-1 you think, ‘Just manage the game’, and I don’t think we did. Even then we had so many chances to kill the game off. But I’m really happy with the three points, Tiverton’s never an easy game.”
Paul Wotton’s side are still three points behind Weston-super-Mare after the Somerset club defeated Plymouth Parkway 1-0, with third-placed Chesham United still another three points back…
📈 The Southern League summit:
Weston-super-Mare, 53pts
Truro City, 50pts
Chesham United, 47pts
Poole Town, 40pts
Bracknell Town, 36pts
🔥 Town continue sensational festive form
There appears to be no stopping Falmouth Town right now, with Andrew Westgarth’s side following up their Boxing Day defeat of Western League leaders Saltash United by seeing off the Ashes’ nearest rivals Bridgwater United on Monday.
Luke Barner, Tim Nixon, Luke Brabyn and Marcello Jones scored as Town made it three wins in a row for the first time this season and extended their unbeaten league run to eight matches.
⚽ Fine start: Nixon’s edge-of-the-box effort falls into the path of Barner, who slots it past Robins goalkeeper Jake Viney. 1-0 (15’)
⚽ All square: Bridgwater hit back as Tom Llewellyn’s corner is bundled over the line by Jack Thorne. 1-1 (25’)
⚽ Super strike: The goal of the afternoon comes from Nixon, who bends the ball into the top corner from just outside the box. 2-1 (43’)
⚽ Inches away: Town come within a whisker of a third when James Ward’s looping header clips the underside of the crossbar. 2-1 (70’)
⚽ Nicely done: But they do get their third thanks to a fine goal from Brabyn, who turns a defender before drilling the ball into the far corner. 3-1 (72’)
⚽ Points secured: Jones comes off the bench to win a late penalty before slotting it down the middle of Viney’s goal. 4-1 (88’)
📋 Falmouth: Telling, Swan, Kellow, Webber, Annear, Ward, Walker (Hutchison 86), Calleja-Stayne, Brabyn, Barner (Jennings 78), Nixon (Jones 74). Subs (unused): Everall, Edney.
“That was fantastic today. I thought, to a man, from the word go we were excellent. It’s 4-1 but we’ve had a lot more chances than 4-1 would suggest. I know you’re not going to score every chance but I thought we looked so comfortable today.
“It was a joy to watch at times. I thought we just looked so good going forward. [We were] compact, didn’t give away a lot, showed the fighting side of our game and fully deserved the three points.”
- Falmouth Town boss Andrew Westgarth
🟢 Seagulls take full advantage of rivals’ slip-ups
That defeat for Bridgwater, coupled with a loss for leaders Saltash United at Barnstaple, opened the door for fourth-placed Mousehole to close the gap on the top two, and the Seagulls made no mistake.
Jake Ash’s side made the journey to Clevedon Town and left north Somerset with all three points to move up to third and within eight points of the Ashes with four games in hand…
⚽ First goal: Jack Bray-Evans scores his first goal in Mousehole colours, heading in Hayden Turner’s cross at the back post. 0-1 (25’)
⚽ Two up: Turner switches from provider to scorer as he hammers home the rebound after Reece Thomson’s strike is saved. 0-2 (45+2’)
❌ Close: Turner comes close to adding another for Mousehole, lobbing an effort agonisingly wide of Luca Smith’s goal after being played through by Paulo Sousa. 0-2 (53’)
🧤 Penalty save: The visitors have the chance to further extend their lead when Tallan Mitchell is brought down inside the box, but Turner’s spot-kick is expertly saved by Clevedon gloveman Smith. 0-2 (75’)
✍️ Read Pablo Woolls-Blanco’s match report on our website
Elsewhere:
Barnstaple Town 2-0 Saltash United
Stuart Bowker’s 71st-minute goal was the difference as Barnstaple saw off leaders Saltash on home soil, with Matt Andrew making the points safe in stoppage time.Helston Athletic 1-1 Shepton Mallet
Both goals came in the final 15 minutes at Kellaway Park, with Rubin Wilson heading the hosts in front from Jordan Copp’s cross before Aaron Seviour replied for Mallet five minutes later.Torpoint Athletic 4-2 Buckland Athletic
A Gary Hird brace and Ryan Richards’ penalty put the Point three up at the end of a fantastic first half at The Mill. Ryan Bush pulled one back for the Devon side before Callum Thompson restored the hosts’ three-goal lead, with Sam Stayt adding another late consolation for the Bucks.Wellington 0-0 Millbrook
Both sides cancelled each other out at The Playing Field in Somerset, with Wellington man Glen Wright’s header being cleared off the line the closest either side came to scoring.
📈 The top of the Western League:
Saltash United, 50pts
Bridgwater United, 49pts
Shepton Mallet, 42pts
Mousehole, 42pts
Buckland Athletic, 35pts
✊ ‘We’re evolving as a team’ says jubilant Town boss
Boss Andrew Westgarth has heaped praise on his ‘fantastic’ Falmouth Town side as they continue their impressive march up the Western League table, writes Matt Friday.
Luke Barner, Tim Nixon, Luke Brabyn and Marcello Jones scored as Town defeated Western League high-flyers Bridgwater United 4-1 at Bickland Park on Monday to earn their third win on the bounce and climb to eighth in the table.
The superb victory over the title contenders – who had dropped just five points and conceded only six goals in ten matches on the road prior to Monday’s game – is the latest high point in an excellent series of results for Westgarth’s side.
“What I was really pleased with is that at the start of the season we were throwing leads away or we’ve been in great positions and not held onto them,” Westgarth told Cornwall Sports Media, “whereas [on Monday] I never once felt in danger of us giving up our lead. It just shows the team is progressing.
“I hold my hands up, I’ve learned so much as a manager this season. I’ve learned a lot about the team and the decisions I’ve made. It’s great, the fact we’re evolving as a team.”
➡️ Read the full story on our website
✅ Bude and St Austell emerge victorious
The wet weather across the county meant only two South West Peninsula League Premier West games survived on New Year’s Eve, with both home teams recording important victories.
Bude Town stuck five past Launceston at their Broadclose Park home to keep their top-four ambitions alive, while St Austell bounced back from their Boxing Day derby loss at St Blazey by beating Sticker 3-0 at Poltair Park.
Here’s how the game in north Cornwall unfolded...
⚽ First blood: A low ball into the box is turned home by Billy Hopcroft. 1-0 (5’)
⚽ Penalty: Tornado Bello puts the Seasiders two goals up from the spot. 2-0 (23’)
⚽ Fine strike: Hopcroft receives it from the corner, beats a man and hammers it home from the edge of the box. 3-0 (47’)
⚽ Second chance: Another penalty sees Bello miss from the spot this time, but he’s able to tap home the rebound. 4-0 (58’)
⚽ Hat-trick: A great ball from Harry Hopcroft allows Bello to run through and clinch his hat-trick. 5-0 (65’)
📋 Bude Town: Hill, Pugh, Westlake, Potter, Sanders, Tape, H Hopcroft, Mariko, Piper, B Hopcroft, Bello. Subs: Sandercock, Darragh, McDonald, Tape, Hudson.
And here’s what happened at Poltair Park…
⚽ Headed home: St Austell are awarded a corner and Kieron Bishop plants a header past Sticker custodian James Morley. 1-0 (19’)
⚽ Through the legs: Martyn Duff doubles the hosts’ lead with a fine strike through a defender's legs. 2-0 (41’)
⚽ Strike from range: Neil Slateford caps the win off with an excellent goal from distance. 3-0 (64’)
📋 St Austell: Allen, Penrose (Dingle), Thomas (Timmons), Duff (Wilson), Hann, Rosevear, Slateford, O’Connor (Margetts), Guest, Mulready, Bishop (Kilbey).
📋 Sticker: Morley, L Taylor, C Bertrand, O’Callaghan, Cooke, A Taylor, Tallis, Nancarrow, O’Hagan, Flack, Chapman. Subs: Clapham, T Bertrand, Rowles-Jane, Marks, Bullen.
Owing to the withdrawal of Godolphin Atlantic and subsequent voiding of their results, the SWPL table now looks a little bit different.
Wendron United remain at the top but their lead has been cut to one point, albeit with two games in hand over second-placed Wadebridge Town.
St Blazey drop below Bude Town in fourth, while fifth-placed Liskeard Athletic lose six points and a big chunk of their goal difference.
📈 The state of play at the SWPL summit:
Wendron United, 47pts
Wadebridge Town, 46pts
Bude Town, 42pts
St Blazey, 39pts
Liskeard Athletic, 31pts
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⚽ The pick of this week’s grassroots action
Cup delight: Nathan Hampton scored the only goal of the game as Illogan RBL booked their place in the St Piran League Cup semi-finals with a 1-0 victory at Wendron United reserves. They will be joined in the final four by Mousehole Development after the Seagulls won 2-0 at Hayle.
Four-goal win: Shae Cardiff, Samuel Wade, Joshua Smith and Brandon Ambrose scored for Altarnun as they recorded a comfortable 4-1 win at home to Callington Town reserves in the only St Piran League East game on Monday.
Brilliant Blues: The sole surviving East Cornwall Premier League game on New Year’s Eve saw Liskeard Athletic reserves run out 3-2 winners at Nanpean Rovers. Jack Podmore scored a brace for the Blues before Fin Bartlett bagged what proved to be the winner.
Top of the tree: Maxwell Clymo scored a hat-trick as St Ives Town triumphed 4-1 at bottom side Hayle reserves to climb to the top of the Combination League on New Year’s Eve, with Louis Graham adding the fourth.
League info:
📸 The week in photos
FALMOUTH - Luke Barner is certainly flying into 2023 after the Falmouth Town midfielder opened the scoring in his side’s impressive 4-1 win at home to Western League title contenders Bridgwater United on Monday.
PLYMOUTH - New Plymouth Argyle signing Ben Waine was introduced to the Home Park crowd prior to the League One leaders’ 3-1 win over Milton Keynes Dons on New Year’s Day.
💚 New year, same story for Plymouth Argyle
The year 2023 could be a very happy one for Plymouth Argyle if the team continue on their current trajectory, with the League One leaders recording their 17th win of the campaign at home to Milton Keynes Dons on New Year’s Day.
A first goal in green for James Wilson, an eighth of the season for Niall Ennis and yet another from the ever-impressive Morgan Whittaker completed an excellent festive period that saw Steven Schumacher’s side win all four of their games.
⚽ Lightning start: Argyle are up and running after just four minutes when Whittaker’s free-kick is prodded in by Wilson with goalkeeper Jamie Cumming in no man’s land. 1-0 (4’)
⚽ Leveller: MK Dons are back on terms 15 minutes later when Nathan Holland hammers the ball into the corner of Mike Cooper’s net. 1-1 (19’)
⚽ Back in front: Jordan Houghton’s sumptous lofted pass is met on the right of the box by Ennis, who steers the ball into the opposite bottom corner. 2-1 (32’)
⚽ Breathing room: Adam Randell and Ryan Hardie combine for the latter to tee up Whittaker, who takes a touch before rifling the ball into the net from the edge of the box. 3-1 (53’)
📋 Argyle: Cooper, Houghton (Butcher 61), Wilson, Scarr, Edwards, Mayor (Endacott 70), Ennis (Hardie HT), Mumba, Whittaker (Cosgrove 89), Randell, Lonwijk. Subs (unused): Burton, Bolton, Jenkins Davies.
“I thought he was brilliant today, not only for his goal. It’s not easy playing against them, because their strikers drop into pockets all the time, and our centre backs have got to run a lot of distance to go with them. [James] is brilliant at that, and he was excellent today.
“I’m really pleased for him to score a goal, and it was another set play goal, which keeps the tally going.”
- Argyle boss Steven Schumacher on goal scorer James Wilson to pafc.co.uk
Two more draws over the Christmas-New Year period for Ipswich Town means Argyle now have a nice six-point cushion inside the automatic promotion places...
📈 A glance at the top of League One:
Plymouth Argyle, 56pts
Sheffield Wednesday, 52pts
Ipswich Town, 50pts
Derby County, 41pts
Bolton Wanderers, 40pts
Elsewhere at Home Park:
👀 What’s on this week
⚽️League One: Saturday, 3pm: Bolton Wanderers v Plymouth Argyle.
⚽️Southern League Premier South: Saturday, 3pm: Hendon v Truro City.
⚽️Western League: Saturday, 3pm (unless stated): Bridgwater United v Mousehole; Cadbury Heath v Falmouth Town; Saltash United v Millbrook (2pm); Shepton Mallet v Torpoint Athletic; Welton Rovers v Helston Athletic.
⚽️South West Peninsula League Premier West: Saturday, 2.15pm (unless stated): Bodmin Town v Newquay; Launceston v Sticker; Liskeard Athletic v Wendron United; Penzance v Wadebridge Town (3pm); St Austell v Mullion; St Blazey v Camelford; St Dennis v Dobwalls.
⚽️St Piran League East: Saturday, 2.30pm: Altarnun v Saltash Borough; Callington Town v Millbrook; Gunnislake v Polperro; St Dominick v Saltash United; St Mawgan v Launceston; Sticker v St Austell.
⚽️St Piran League West: Saturday, 2.30pm: Illogan RBL v St Agnes; Mullion v Helston Athletic; Perranwell v Porthleven; Redruth United v Truro City; St Day v Mousehole; Wendron United v Falmouth Town.
🏆FA Women’s National League Cup quarter-final: Sunday, 2pm: Plymouth Argyle v Cardiff City.
⚽️South West Regional Women’s Football League Premier Division: Sunday, 2pm: Bristol Rovers v Liskeard Athletic.
⚽️South West Regional Women’s Football League Western Division: Sunday, 2pm (unless stated): Activate v Sticker (2.30pm); Budleigh Salterton v Saltash United.
⚽️Cornwall Women’s Football League Division 1: Sunday, 2pm: Foxhole Stars v FXSU; Helston Athletic v RNAS Culdrose; Mousehole v Saltash Borough.
⚽️Cornwall Women’s Football League Division 2: Sunday, 2pm (unless stated): Callington Town v Dropship (2.30pm); Ludgvan v St Agnes; Padstow United v Penryn; Redruth United v Wendron United; Wadebridge Town v Charlestown (2.30pm).
🏆Cornwall Women’s Football League Cup: Sunday, 2pm: Bodmin v Bude Town.
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Happy New Year! 🥂
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