🔴 ‘Every game is like a basketball game’ — Wadebridge chief seeks more control of matches
We hear from Wadebridge Town and Newquay after their 2-2 draw on Wednesday. Plus, we speak to both sides after Mullion beat Truro City reserves in midweek, and we look ahead to this weekend's games.
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⬇️ In today’s newsletter ⬇️
🔴 Wadebridge: ‘Every game is like a basketball game’ — Rowe seeks more control of matches
🔴 Newquay: Peppermints forward rues missed chances
🔴 Mullion: ‘We needed that one’ — Carey pleased to end three-game losing run
⚪ Truro: Hilton disappointed with Seagulls defeat
🍿 Cornwall Football’s Weekend Preview
🟢 Argyle preview: Pilgrims travel to a revitalised Birmingham City at St Andrews
Enjoy. 〓〓
🔴 Wadebridge: ‘Every game is like a basketball game’ — Rowe seeks more control of matches
By Matt Friday at Bodieve Park
Wadebridge Town 2 (Rowe, Bidgood)
Newquay 2 (Turner, Lowry)
South West Peninsula League Premier West
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
Wadebridge Town chief Paul Rowe wants to see his players take greater control of matches in the wake of his side’s 2-2 draw with Newquay on Wednesday night.
Cam Turner put the Peppermints in front at Bodieve Park with a fine free kick from 25 yards before Jacob Rowe got the faintest of touches on Sam Wickins’ cross to level the scores before the break.
Phil Lowry nodded Newquay back in front fewer than two minutes after the turnaround before Cam Bidgood rescued a point for Paul Rowe’s side, who ended the game with ten players after Wickins was sent to the sin bin.
The draw means the Bridgers return to second in the SWPL Premier West table but now find themselves eight points off unbeaten leaders St Austell.
“It was pretty similar to three of our other four games this season where we haven’t had the amount of control of the match that we’d have liked to have,” Rowe told Cornwall Sports Media after the final whistle. “I think we had it for a 15-minute spell which culminated in our first goal.
“Every game we seem to be involved in at the minute is like a basketball game and it’s just down to individual brilliance or errors as to who comes out on top. We’ve had a good chat in [the dressing room] and we’re just looking for that little bit of control in football matches which we don’t seem to have.”
He continued: “I think both teams could have won it. When you go down to ten for the last ten minutes I’m pleased it’s 2-2. They’ve had a few chances and I think Rob [Rosevear]’s pulled off an unbelievable save at the end.
“Yet we’ve had chances as well and probably both teams will kick themselves that they haven’t won it but be grateful that they haven’t lost it.
“It was probably a good game to watch I imagine, but not a great game if you’re a manager trying to instill some confidence and some control into your football team.”
The visitors opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a wonderful piece of individual brilliance. Newquay won a free kick 25 yards from goal and Turner proceeded to bend the ball over the wall and into the far corner.
Wadebridge looked the brighter side otherwise with Greg Eastman forcing a smart save out of Peppermints custodian Adam Robathan before Bidgood's cross was put agonisingly wide by Matt Lloyd.
But the hosts made no mistake with their next opportunity ten minutes before the break, with Rowe getting the deftest of touches on substitute Wickins' whipped cross to guide it past Robathan from six yards out.
With the scores level at the break, it took Newquay fewer than two minutes of the second half to restore their lead. With team-mate Matt Sanders having nodded wide a few moments earlier, Lowry made no mistake when he met Harrie Tilston's clipped cross at the back post and nodded it home.
But back came Wadebridge and shortly after Wickins' free kick had tested Robathan, it was another set piece that produced the equaliser. Bidgood arrived at the near post to meet Chris Reski's corner kick and rifle it into the roof of the net from close range.
Both sides pushed for a late winner but to no avail. Morgan Vallejo curled a free kick inches wide of the top corner for the hosts — who finished with ten men after Wickins was sent to the sin bin — after team-mate Lloyd blazed over from a good position. Lucas Preston struck the base of the post for Newquay, while Harry Downing and Louis Price also missed big chances to snatch all three points for the visitors.
When asked what prevented his side from taking all three points, Bridgers boss Rowe replied: “Patience and possession. We’ve gone behind in every game this season and then you get a little bit edgy. If you get a goal or two up I think you see a little bit of swagger from us but at the moment we’re too easy to score against and we’re finding ourselves behind. Then you’re chasing it and you’re forcing things a little bit.
“Hopefully we’ll take the lead the next time we play and we go on to win by four or five, which this bunch of players is capable of doing.”
That next time will be on the unfamiliar territory of the northern slopes of the Mendip Hills when they head to Western League Division One outfit Bishop Sutton in the first qualifying round of the FA Vase on Saturday afternoon.
Rowe is seeking a victory, with the Bridgers having won only one of their four Vase ties during his tenure, but is also after an improved showing from his side.
“I’m just looking for a performance up there,” he said. “We haven’t really ever had a run in the Vase since I’ve been in charge. We haven’t qualified for it for most of it but we haven’t had a run in it, so we’re going up there to win the game, but with that, something to take back into our league programme as well.”
🔴 Newquay: Peppermints forward rues missed chances
Newquay forward Alex Cole, who missed out on the game after suffering an injury in pre-season, felt a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal was the difference between the three points his side could have taken and the single point they came away with.
“In terms of the game I think it was two good teams,” Cole told Cornwall Sports Media. “Coming here away against Wadebridge, they’re a good team, I think we played very well although the first half was a bit cagey.
“In the second half we improved in terms of what we wanted to do, we had a few chances and missed a few but so did they, but overall I thought it was very good. We’re a young team with a bit of experience moving forward. It was a hard-fought 2-2 and we had chances right at the end [to nick a win] but we didn’t take them.
“It’s a Wednesday night game and sometimes it changes things and players don’t always turn up in these games, but overall I think we had the chance to win it and we didn’t, so hopefully next game we can do that and get the win.”
Despite the disappointment of being pegged back on two occasions, Newquay looked the likelier side to go on and grab a late winner, with Bridgers gloveman Rob Rosevear denying Price with a one-on-one before Downing nodded agonisingly wide from Turner’s corner as the Peppermints had to settle for a point.
“I think a few of the players out wide, where we play, were a bit leggy and in the last ten minutes you either have a player to come on to make that opportunity and score or you keep the [faith with the] same players that you’ve had [and hope they score],” Cole said.
“But there were opportunities for both sides, to be fair. I think they had one in the last five minutes and didn’t take it.”
The hard-earned point on Wednesday night follows an emphatic five-goal victory at home to Bodmin Town in their 2023-24 curtain-raiser last Saturday, and Cole and his team-mates are harbouring hopes of a strong shopwing this season.
“I think it’s good, we’ve got a great team together: some good young lads, some good experienced lads that have come back — including Ross Fallens and Phil Lowry from Wadebridge,” he said.
“I think the actual team itself is very good, we just need to keep improving and, like I keep saying, take our chances when you get them. I know it’s hard, I’m a striker and sometimes I don’t take my chances, but in these games against these teams you have to take your chances to get to the top.
“I’ve played for Newquay for seven or eight years now and we just haven’t got to that level to get up to that top four, top three [in the league], but I think the team we’ve got now, with Louis Price coming back from Mousehole, we’ve got an opportunity to do well. But [it’s all well] saying it, you need to do it.”
NEXT UP: Wadebridge are in FA Vase action this weekend when they make the trip to Western League Division One outfit Bishop Sutton, while Newquay entertain Mullion in the SWPL (kick-off 3pm).
🔴 Mullion: ‘We needed that one’ — Carey pleased to end three-game losing run
By Matt Friday at Clifden Parc
Mullion 5 (Noy 2, Kemp, Greet, Roberts)
Truro City reserves 2 (Shaw 2)
South West Peninsula League Premier West
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Boss Rob Carey was pleased with his Mullion side’s impressive display in their midweek victory over Truro City reserves.
Jack Noy scored twice as the free-flowing Seagulls put five goals past the newly-promoted White Tigers to end a run of three successive defeats.
Mullion led at the break through Brodie Kemp’s effort before Noy and Dan Greet put Carey’s side three goals up shortly after the turnaround.
City hit back with two goals from Ben Shaw, but Noy’s spot-kick and Harry Roberts’ late strike secured the points for the home side.
It was just the tonic for Mullion after their promising opening-day win against Sticker was promptly followed by defeats to Penzance, St Austell and Launceston, and Carey was pleased to buck that run of losses with a strong all-round performance.
“I think if we’d been a bit more clinical it could have been an awful lot more goals if I’m honest!” Carey told Cornwall Sports Media at full-time. “We’ve played good football at times in the last few games we’ve played, we’ve just not got the results. Even in some of the big losses we’ve had we’ve still tried to play football and tonight we definitely played a lot of football and we managed to get some of those chances away.
“I was disappointed [to be pegged back to 3-2] but the reaction we showed [was excellent]. They knew that there were more goals there, they knew they should have been further in front and I was starting to think we could end up getting punished for it. However, the belief was there to push on and go and get two more at that point. It’s what we needed at this stage.”
He added: “We absolutely needed that one. We had to get going. Saturday[‘s defeat to Launceston] was a difficult one to take because we actually played good football again but we just didn’t get the result. We didn’t put the ball away and we ended up losing and we had to really bounce back, that was what I wanted from them tonight and they’ve given that to me.”
Truro goalkeeper Morgan Jones was the much busier goalkeeper throughout the night as Mullion’s forward players peppered his goal with shots. He did well to save efforts from Kemp and Phil Cattran after expertly tipping Noy’s header onto his crossbar.
The home side also had several shots off target but a goal felt like it was coming, and the Seagulls had it in the 28th minute when George Molcher’s low cross from the left was stroked home by Kemp for score his third of the campaign.
Over-exuberant protests following an unsuccessful penalty appeal earned City’s Teddy Horton a spell in the sin bin for the first ten minutes of the second half, and Mullion took full advantage and doubled their lead on 50 minutes. Kemp got the better of Jones on the left of the box and delivered a low cross for Noy to drill into the net from ten yards.
Two quickly became three with Jones parrying Cattran’s strike into the path of a gleeful Greet who made no mistake with the finish, and the game could have been out of sight by the time Horton returned to the pitch had any of Kemp, Noy and Greet taken their chances.
That looked like it was going to come back to bite the home side as City found a way back into the game. Shaw reduced the arrears just before the hour when he rounded Seagulls stopper Toby Fletcher, before bringing the visitors to within one goal of parity on 70 minutes when he headed in from Josh Marcelis’ cross.
But those hopes of a tense finale lasted barely two minutes before Mullion skipper Chris Wormington was brought down just inside the City area, with Noy tucking away the resulting spot-kick, and any lingering doubts as to the destination of the points were extinguished ten minutes from time when Roberts rifled the ball home at the back post.
“One big thing I learned last season was that sides don’t give you too many opportunities at this level,” Carey said, “and if you don’t take your chances the other side will take two and win 2-1, so we’ve really got to make sure we make the most of it and obviously starting [the second half] against ten men [was a big opportunity].
“I almost think they came up a little bit when they had ten men, certainly for the first five minutes, and then when we managed to get that second it settled us down a little bit more.”
Noy scored twice to take his tally for the season to three after his summer switch from local rivals Wendron United. Noy boasts plenty of experience at SWPL level, having bagged 11 goals in 32 appearances for high-flying United over the previous two seasons, and Carey is looking forward to seeing his new striker continue his promising start over the course of the campaign.
“Jack is someone that we’ve all known and he’s good friends with George [Molcher],” he said. “Circumstances have led to us being able to get him out here, and him along with the other guys [who have joined this summer] can definitely play this standard, they’ve proved that in the games they’ve played with us so far. It's going to take time to get everyone to gel but hopefully as the season goes on we can continue to do that.”
⚪ Truro: Hilton disappointed with Seagulls defeat
On the other side of the coin, City assistant manager Jim Hilton expressed his disappointment with his side’s performance after what was an impressive opening-day victory at home to Camelford on Saturday.
The White Tigers were second best for much of the evening and Hilton cited a disrupted pre-season schedule as an explanation for the team’s lack of sharpness.
“It was a bit disappointing, really,” Hilton told Cornwall Sports Media. “We had a good start to the season last Saturday, a good surface [at Mullion] and had a decent squad out there and I’m just a bit disappointed.
“We didn’t really play, we didn’t have too much structure to the game and I said I think the lack of a pre-season and lack of pre-season friendlies kind of found out today because we weren’t fit enough. We were chasing the ball instead of looking and having a defensive plan. It was just a bit disappointing.
“Having said that, we got back to 3-2 and if something had happened and maybe we got another one [things could have been different], but we conceded a penalty straight after and that was it really.
“There’s a lot of things to work on and we’ll do that, they’re young. I think their heads went down a little bit too quickly and we just need to have a bit better attitude as the season progresses.”
“There were some positives. We got back to 3-2, Morgan [Jones] made some cracking saves, Ben [Shaw] scored two and players have had minutes.”
One positive for City was the impact of 16-year-old forward Ben Shaw, who scored both of his side’s goals to take his tally to three for the season after scoring the winner in the White Tigers’ 2-1 triumph against Camelford three days earlier.
“His second goal was very good and it was a good cross from Josh [Marcelis] as well,” Hilton said. “He did very well, he chased a lost cause for the first goal and has scored three in two games. He’s very good for a young lad.
“Yes, there were some positives. We got back to 3-2, Morgan [Jones] made some cracking saves, Ben scored two and players have had minutes.
“Hopefully, with John [Fabby, manager] back [for the trip to Holsworthy] on Saturday and maybe one or two other players available as well, it’s an opportunity to get a good result on Saturday.”
NEXT UP: Both sides are on the road in the league this weekend. Mullion head to Newquay while Truro City reserves make the long trip to Holsworthy (kick-off 3pm).
A week after Mousehole earned progression in the FA Cup, this weekend sees the grand old competition’s younger sibling the FA Vase make its first appearance of the 2023-24 campaign.
We’ve got 12 Cornish clubs bidding for places in next month’s second qualifying round on Saturday, where they will join another five Duchy sides that received byes to the next stage.
Our dozen teams are spread across nine ties, and among those are three all-Cornwall affairs. Launceston host Callington Town and St Austell entertain Bodmin Town in two all-SWPL clashes, while Western League outfit St Blazey head to Dobwalls.
The Green and Blacks’ Western League colleagues Falmouth Town and Saltash United both have home ties against step six opposition, with Town welcoming SWPL Premier East side Honiton Town to Bickland Park while Mackenzie Brown’s Ashes entertain Western League Division One outfit Radstock Town.
In contrast, the other four Cornish SWPL entrants are all on the road. Liskeard Athletic, Camelford and Bude Town head to the respective SWPL Premier East trio of Crediton United, Sidmouth Town and Bishops Lydeard, while Paul Rowe’s Wadebridge Town make the journey to Bishop Sutton, who sit at the foot of Western League Division One.
As well as a spot in the next round, this weekend’s winners will also receive £550, while losers will collect a consolation prize to the tune of £160.
Returning to league matters, Truro City head to Eastbourne Borough desperate to arrest a run of three successive single-goal defeats in the National League South. Their stunning opening-day 5-2 win over Welling United will feel a long time ago now for Paul Wotton’s side, and a much-needed second victory of the season could see the White Tigers jump back into the top half.
After the teams were paired together in this week’s FA Cup first qualifying round draw, Mousehole will host Bashley for the next two Saturdays running in an amusing — unless you’re from Bashley — quirk of the draw. Tomorrow’s tussle at Trungle Parc has Southern League Division One South points on offer, with Jake Ash’s side aiming to make it three wins out of three.
The FA Vase action means there is a truncated programme in the Western League and SWPL. Top hosts bottom in the former as leaders Helston Athletic entertain Millbrook, with the east Cornwall outfit seeking their first points of the campaign. Elsewhere, second-placed Torpoint Athletic could knock the Blues off the summit if they get a positive result at home to Ilfracombe Town.
As for the SWPL, Truro City reserves will look to bounce back from Tuesday night’s defeat when they visit Holsworthy, with their midweek conquerors Mullion heading to Newquay. Meanwhile, Penzance and St Dennis do battle at Penlee Park.
You can catch up on all of Saturday’s action in our weekend round-up newsletter on Sunday afternoon.
⚽️ EFL Championship: Saturday, 3pm: Birmingham City v Plymouth Argyle.
⚽️ National League South: Saturday, 3pm: Eastbourne Borough v Truro City.
🏆 FA Vase first qualifying round: Saturday, 3pm: Bishop Sutton v Wadebridge Town; Bishops Lydeard v Bude Town; Crediton United v Liskeard Athletic; Dobwalls v St Blazey; Falmouth Town v Honiton Town; Launceston v Callington Town; Saltash United v Radstock Town; Sidmouth v Camelford; St Austell v Bodmin Town.
⚽️ Western League Premier Division: Saturday, 3pm: Helston Athletic v Millbrook; Torpoint Athletic v Ilfracombe Town.
⚽️ South West Peninsula League Premier West: Saturday, 3pm: Holsworthy v Truro City reserves; Newquay v Mullion; Penzance v St Dennis.
🟢 Argyle preview: Pilgrims travel to a revitalised Birmingham City at St Andrews
By Colin Bradbury
Birmingham City v Plymouth Argyle
EFL Championship
Saturday, August 26, 2023
Supporting Birmingham City has been a tough gig for the last 10 years or so. After 13 consecutive seasons in the second tier, the Blues are the longest-serving Championship club. In the last seven seasons, they have finished no higher than 17th and have regularly flirted with relegation.
Off the pitch, the club fell into the hands of a series of dubious owners, including Hong Kong hairdresser / businessman Carson Yeung who was sent to prison in 2014 for money laundering. He was succeeded by several other far-eastern ‘businessmen’ with opaque operating structures, leading to City being docked points and subjected to financial sanctions while racking up tens of millions in annual losses. Meanwhile, the club’s home, St Andrews, continued to fall into disrepair.
However, the club from England’s second city is enjoying a renaissance under its new owner, the American Tom Wagner, whose hedge fund Shelby Companies Limited took over last month. For an added slice of glamour, the man regarded by many as the greatest NFL player of all-time, Tom Brady, is involved as a minority owner. The seven-time Super Bowl winner was at St Andrews for the first home game of the season to watch the Blues beat Leeds United 1-0. The crowd that day was the largest for three and a half years, a testament to the new-found optimism around the club.
Performances on the pitch have done nothing to dampen the enthusiasm. City currently lie fourth in the table, with seven points from three games. An opening day 1-1 draw with Swansea was followed by that win over Leeds, and then last weekend’s trip to Bristol City ended in a 2-0 victory for the visitors.
The bookies currently have the Blues finishing the season in mid-table, reflecting the improved situation at the club.
Unsurprisingly, City are fielding a much-changed side from the one that finished last season, with no fewer than five players making their club debuts in the campaign opener. The summer transfer window so far has seen seven permanent departures and nine incomings.
Despite two high profile departures — Jobe Bellingham (to Sunderland for a rumoured £3 million), and former Manchester United midfielder, Tahith Chong (£4 million to Luton Town) — the general consensus is that the Blues’ squad is considerably stronger than last year’s. That this has been done within significant financial constraints (the net spend has been just £750,000) is a testament to some smart business on Birmingham’s part.
Key incomings include:
Winger Siriki Dembélé (£1.5 million from AFC Bournemouth) who scored against Swansea on his debut and has looked to be the Blues’ main attacking threat so far this season.
Central defender Dion Sanderson (£2 million from Wolverhampton Wanderers) has amassed a good number of Championship appearances while on loan with Cardiff, Sunderland and QPR (as well as Birmingham) and has started all three Championship games of the current campaign.
Defensive midfielder Krystian Bielik (£1 million from Derby County) is not technically a new arrival, having played for the Blues on loan last season. The permanent signing of a player who commanded a hefty £8 million fee when Derby bought him from Arsenal in 2019, is an expression of confidence in the Pole, whose career so far has been hampered by injury. He will be anxious to repay the Blues’ faith in him.
Left back Lee Buchanan (£1.3 million from Werder Bremen) brings top-level Continental experience to St Andrews, having played in the Bundesliga last season. Birmingham fought off competition from Swansea City to sign the former Derby County man.
Attacking midfielder Koji Miyoshi (free transfer from Royal Antwerp) looks to be an intriguing addition to the squad. Most likely to be deployed as a left winger, the Japanese international won both league and cup silverware last season with his Dutch club. Miyoshi came off the bench to score the Blues’ opening goal against Bristol City last weekend, a thumping volley into the roof of the net that is well worth a re-watch.
Turning to team news, City have a couple of injury concerns ahead of the clash with Argyle. Siriki Dembélé was replaced for the second half at Aston Gate last weekend, having limped off at the break with what was described as a ‘muscle strain’. There have been no updates on his progress. A few minutes before half time in the same match, right-back Ethan Laird pulled up awkwardly and is also said to have a muscle strain. Manager John Eustace acknowledged that both are “really important players for us” so he will obviously be hoping for good news before Saturday.
As for Argyle, Steven Schumacher revealed in midweek that the injury to Saxon Earley’s ankle, sustained in training, was worse than initially thought. The defender will require an operation next week on his ankle ligaments and is expected to be out of action for three months. While Argyle have plenty of cover in the left-back position, the injury is undoubtedly a blow given Earley’s outstanding performance in the 0-0 draw at Watford two weeks ago.
The manager also indicated that the long-anticipated search for an additional striker could be nearing a conclusion. Schumacher said on Thursday that a deal had been agreed with another club to take a striker on loan, something has apparently been in the pipeline for a while. However he indicated that the player was unlikely to be available for Saturday, meaning that for now, Ryan Hardie and Ben Waine remain the only dedicated strikers at Home Park.
We’re back with our weekend round-up on Sunday. See you then!
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