🟢 Mousehole boss hails ‘ludicrous’ McOnie performance after FA Cup victory

We also hear from St Blazey, Saltash United, St Austell, Wendron United and Plymouth Argyle. Plus, our usual Grassroots Review and our first women's football round-up of the season.

Sep 05, 2023

🟢 Mousehole: Ash hails ‘ludicrous’ McOnie performance after FA Cup victory
🟢 St Blazey: Richardson delighted to get first Western League win
📸 IN PICTURES: Mousehole 5-3 Bashley
🔴 Saltash: Brown thrilled with Ashes’ ‘excellent performance’ in Wellington win
⚽ Women’s football round-up: Opening-day defeats for Blues and Lillywhites
⚪ St Austell: We’re lucky to have hat-trick hero Slateford — Knight
🟣 Wendron: We were absolutely ruthless — O’Neill on eight-goal win
⚽ GRASSROOTS REVIEW: Brown scores seven as Pandas plunder 15 goals
🟢 Argyle: Schumacher delighted to be in top ten ahead of the international break
📸 IN PICTURES: Plymouth Argyle 3-0 Blackburn Rovers

Enjoy. 〓〓

🟢 Mousehole: Ash hails ‘ludicrous’ McOnie performance after FA Cup victory

By Matt Friday at Trungle Parc

Mousehole 5 (McOnie 2, Mitchell, Turner, Bray-Evans)
Bashley 3 (Williams 3)
FA Cup first qualifying round
Saturday, September 2, 2023

Mousehole chief Jake Ash expressed his delight with Callam McOnie after the forward put in a ‘ludicrous’ performance in their FA Cup victory over Bashley.

The Seagulls’ club-record FA Cup run goes on after they defeated Southern League colleagues Bashley in a highly entertaining tie at Trungle Parc.

Tallan Mitchell put Jake Ash’s side in front after barely 60 seconds before Hayden Turner and Jack Bray-Evans put the hosts in control, only for Brett Williams to pull one back from the spot on the stroke of half-time.

Williams reduced the arrears to a single goal early in the second half before the outstanding McOnie struck twice — including a sublime free kick — to clinch victory, with Williams completing his hat-trick deep into stoppage time.

The Seagulls will now welcome Southern League Premier South outfit Salisbury to west Cornwall in the second qualifying round on Saturday, September 16.

“I think a fair score would have been about 12-6!” Ash told Cornwall Sports Media after the game. “It was ludicrous, really, and I imagine in terms of a game to watch [it was a great one for any neutrals] — it was open, with a lot of good, attacking players on the pitch.

“There’s an element of frustration because we got ourselves 3-0 up and I said to the boys after the third goal, ‘It stays at three, just keep the ball’. All of a sudden it’s 3-1, and then at the start of the second half it’s 3-2, it’s game on. From thinking on the sidelines that it’s going to be a nice afternoon [the game suddenly changed].

“But the character to go and produce the quality of goals that we did [was really pleasing]. Macca’s free kick was ludicrous and the move for Jack Bray-Evans’ goal was outstanding. We had to rely on that great quality, which is frustrating because I would have quite liked us to see out a boring second half and win 3-0.

Callam McOnie (left) and Hayden Turner (right) were responsible for three of Mousehole’s five goals on Saturday. Pictures: Matt Friday / Cornwall Sports Media

“It was a bit of a mad game, but the important thing with the FA Cup is getting to the next round and we did more than enough today to do that.”

McOnie received the man of the match award for an outstanding display that saw the former Newquay forward score twice and terrorise the Bashley defence throughout the afternoon, and Ash hailed his performance as his best for the club so far.

“I thought Callam McOnie today was ludicrous,” Ash said. “I thought he was the difference between [the teams] and for anyone coming and watching and picking a player out, it’s the easiest man of the match we’ve had to give out in a while. I think that’s his best game in a Mousehole shirt.

“I think by his own admission he wasn’t great [in the 2-2 draw at Tavistock] on Monday, but Macca’s a confidence player and we know that he’s got unbelievable quality in little moments and I just felt sorry for their defence today.

“They had to change shape because of him, they went from a back three to a back four. I’m delighted for him, he’s a top lad and a top, top player.”

Mousehole's afternoon could hardly have begun in a better fashion as the Seagulls took the lead with barely 60 seconds on the clock. Mitchell's header from a corner wasn't cleared and it found it way back to the midfield ace, who returned the ball into the top corner with aplomb.

The hosts, as ever, looked lively going forward with McOnie and Mitchell seeing good chances fall by the wayside before the west Cornwall outfit doubled their advantage just before the half-hour. Turner cut in from the right flank and let fly from the edge of the box, with the ball soaring past Bashley custodian Ross Casey and into the bottom corner.

Bray-Evans bagged the hosts' third shortly before the break when he drilled the ball inside the near post from Andrew Elcock's cross, but the visitors were given a lifeline moments later when Elcock and Ben Jefford got in a tangle inside the box, with Williams sending Seagulls gloveman Lewis Moyle the wrong way from the spot.

Mousehole winger Tim Nixon (right) was just beaten to this delivery by Bashley custodian Ross Casey (left)

With their tails up heading into the break, Bashley reduced the deficit to just a single goal three minutes after the turnaround with Williams rifling home from close range. But with the tie suddenly on a knife edge, Mousehole restored their two-goal advantage five minutes later when McOnie curled in a superb free kick.

That appeared to knock the stuffing out of Bashley and the home side sought to put the tie to bed with Mitchell, McOnie and Tim Nixon all being denied by Casey. The fifth goal was coming and it duly arrived via the penalty spot in the 75th minute after Josh Bissett was fouled, with McOnie scoring the rebound after his kick was saved by Casey.

Nixon spurned two chances to extend the margin of victory before a lapse in defence allowed Williams to complete his hat-trick in the fifth minute of stoppage time, but it mattered little as the Seagulls soared into the second qualifying round for the first time ever.

Mousehole have so far seen off Ilfracombe Town (4-1), St Blazey (5-1) and now Bashley to clinch their maiden appearance in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup — collecting £4,819 of prize money along the way.

At least another £1,125 will be coming their way regardless of the result of their next tie against step three outfit Salisbury in two weeks’ time — with that figure becoming £3,375 if they win it — and Ash reiterated his and his team’s desire to keep this cup run going after several seasons of ‘concentrating on the league’.

“We’ve got three wins [in the cup], which is great,” he said prior to Monday’s draw. “We’ve not done ourselves justice in cup games since I’ve been here and I take full responsibility for that because we have prioritised the league a lot and changed things round [in cups] and maybe taken risks that haven’t paid off.

“But we’ve gone for it this year, every game we’ve put out what we think is the best team for that individual game. We’ll see what the draw brings and it’s just great to be in it. We can’t do anything about [who we get] so it’s just exciting whoever you pull out.

“It’s nice for the club, obviously prize money-wise that’s some good money in the coffers so that’s important.”

NEXT UP: Mousehole make their FA Trophy debut on Saturday when they head to Malvern Town in the first qualifying round (kick-off 3pm).

🟢 St Blazey: Richardson delighted to get first Western League win

By Matt Friday

St Blazey 3 (Russell 2, McCue)
Ilfracombe Town 2 (Evans-Loude 2)
Western League Premier Division
Saturday, September 2, 2023

St Blazey co-manager Brad Richardson spoke of his ‘relief’ after the Green and Blacks clinched their first-ever Western League victory on Saturday.

Lewis Russell scored twice as St Blazey defeated Ilfracombe Town 3-2 at Blaise Park to record their first three-point haul at step five at the sixth time of asking.

Russell opened the scoring in the 14th minute at Blaise Park before Tyler Evans-Loude restored parity for the Bluebirds just after the half-hour mark, with Isaac McCue putting the Green and Blacks back in front shortly before the break.

Evans-Loude hauled the Devonians level with his second of the day early in the second half, but Russell nodded home in the 72nd minute to secure the historic win for the home side.

“It was a bit of a relief, it was nice to get that monkey off your back, so to speak,” Richardson told Cornwall Sports Media. “It just gives a little bit of confidence to the lads that they all wanted and needed.

“We’ve had a tough start where we’ve been really unlucky in games and it’s been blow after blow, but the boys did really well [on Saturday]. Lewis Russell, I’ve known him a long time and that’s the best game I think I’ve ever seen him play.

“He was brilliant, he played like he was rolling back the years — he could have scored a hat-trick. I don’t think he missed a header and if you could have thrown a brick in the air he would have headed it!

“It’s just a relief and it’s nice to get over the line. You could sense it in the dressing room after the game, everyone just felt like they’d got something that they’d deserved for once. It was nice, but we’ve got to build on it now.”

NEXT UP: St Blazey host winless Millbrook in the league on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).

📸 IN PICTURES: Mousehole 5-3 Bashley

By Matt Friday

Check out our selection of photos from Mousehole’s 5-3 win over Bashley in the FA Cup first qualifying round on Saturday.

Callam McOnie’s brace and strikes from Tallan Mitchell, Hayden Turner and Jack Bray-Evans secured Mousehole’s place in the next round, with Brett Williams scoring a hat-trick for the visitors.

📸 View our full gallery here 📸

🔴 Saltash: Brown thrilled with Ashes’ ‘excellent performance’ in Wellington win

By Matt Friday

Saltash United 4 (O’Melia, Ewing, Preece, Love-Holmes)
Wellington 1 (Camillo)
Western League Premier Division
Saturday, September 2, 2023

Saltash United chief Mackenzie Brown expressed his pleasure with his team’s display as they recorded their first Western League win of the campaign with a four-goal triumph at home to Wellington.

The Ashes led after 12 minutes through Kieran O’Melia before Douglas Camillo levelled ten minutes later, with Jordan Ewing putting Brown’s side back in front shortly after the turnaround.

Ewing turned provider for Joe Preece to extend the lead a few minutes later, with Tylor Love-Holmes clinching the points later in the half.

The result means the Ashes have risen two places to 15th in the division, and means the east Cornwall side are now unbeaten in three matches in all competitions — with their six-game winless run at the start of the campaign now firmly in the rear-view mirror.

“It was excellent, it really was an excellent performance,” Brown told Cornwall Sports Media. “Some of the lads came away from [their midweek draw at Brixham] a little disappointed, so we had to reinforce that actually Tuesday was really positive and they hit the ground running on Saturday and started the game so well.

“Some of our attacking display on Saturday was brilliant. We created so many chances and the game could have been out of sight by half-time and I don’t think I’ve ever said that in my two or three years that I’ve been managing in the Western League.

“We went in at half-time and we reinforced that we needed more of the same. We said, ‘Don’t let it frustrate you that you missed those chances because the goals will come,’ and that’s basically what happened in the second half. It was very similar and we were just more clinical.”

NEXT UP: Saltash visit Welton Rovers in the league on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).

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⚽ Women’s football round-up: Opening-day defeats for Blues and Lillywhites

By Matt Friday

The 2023-24 women’s football season began in earnest on Sunday with ten teams in action across four levels of the pyramid. Here, we round up the pick of the action across the county…

St Austell’s first game back in the South West Regional Women’s Football League Premier Division following relegation from the FA Women’s National League ended in defeat, with Town surrendering a 2-1 lead to lose 4-2 at Marine Academy Plymouth.

Beth Overton put the hosts in front before goals from Rosie Shipp and Millie Buist turned the match on its head by the break, but goals in the final 30 minutes from Fedra Leal, Sam Drewery and Carmen Morison clinched victory for last season’s western division winners.

Liskeard Athletic’s campaign also began with a loss as the Blues went down by the odd goal in five at home to Bristol Rovers. The visitors led through an Abi Todd penalty before Gabi Alphous’ brace gave Liskeard a half-time lead. It all changed after the break once again, though, with Scarlett Mills and Abi Hughes rescuing the points for the Gas Girls.

Ellie Sparkes’ fifth-minute goal was enough to separate the sides as Helston Athletic defeated Saltash United 1-0 on their return to the SWWFL Western Division.

In the Cornwall Women’s Football League, Elizabeth Mears, Gemma Philp and Aimee Thompson scored for Bodmin in their 3-1 opening-day win at St Dennis in Division 1, while Molly Hankins’ brace and Jordana Pardoe’s goal sealed a 3-2 for St Agnes at Penryn, who netted through Shantel Ebanks and Alice Seymour.

Meanwhile, Biscovey and Lanner played out a goalless draw in the only Division 2 game.

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⚪ St Austell: We’re lucky to have hat-trick hero Slateford — Knight

By Matt Friday

St Austell 6 (Slateford 3, Wharton 2, Miller)
Truro City reserves 0
South West Peninsula League Premier West
Saturday, September 2, 2023

Boss Chris Knight hailed the influence of skipper Neil Slateford after the experienced midfielder scored a hat-trick in their 6-0 thrashing of Truro City reserves.

Slateford took his tally to five goals for the season as league leaders St Austell made it eight wins out of eight with a comprehensive victory over the newly-promoted White Tigers.

Slateford opened the scoring after five minutes at Poltair Park before Connor Wharton and Slateford struck later in the half to give Knight’s side a three-goal cushion at the break.

Three more goals followed in the second half with Jake Miller and Wharton netting before skipper Slateford completed his treble in the 69th minute.

The result means St Austell have retained their grip on top spot, with their goal tally now standing at 35 in only eight games — just six shy of last season’s total of 41.

“I'm pleased with the result and performance,” Knight told Cornwall Sports Media. “It was a hot day and so the players struggled a bit in the heat but we got the job done. Our aim was to create chances this season and so to get that amount is pleasing.”

On hat-trick hero Slateford, Knight added: “Slates is the captain and he leads by example without a doubt. He’s been great for me both on and off the pitch and we are lucky to have him.”

NEXT UP: St Austell welcome Bodmin Town to Poltair Park on Wednesday night (kick-off 7.30pm).

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🟣 Wendron: We were absolutely ruthless — O’Neill on eight-goal win

By Matt Friday

St Dennis 2 (Cockings, Davies)
Wendron United 8 (C Young 3, Reeve 2, S Young, Cleverly, OG)
South West Peninsula League Premier West
Saturday, September 2, 2023

Boss Michael O’Neill lauded his Wendron United side’s ‘absolutely ruthless’ afternoon in front of goal as the Dron put eight past St Dennis at Boscawen Park.

Charlie Young scored another hat-trick as Wendron United extended their own winning start to three matches with a ruthless demolition of bottom side St Dennis.

Sam Young put Michael O’Neill’s side in front at Boscawen Park before Joel Cockings and Mikey Davies — who scored a spectacular goal from near the halfway line — gave the Saints a surprise 2-1 lead, only for Ryan Reeve to restore parity before the break.

The temporary loss of two players to the sin bin and to injury proved to be Jack Barbery’s side’s undoing, with Reeve, Jacob Cleverly, an own goal and Charlie Young in that ten-minute spell putting Wendron 5-2 up.

There was still time for Charlie Young to find the net two more times later on to complete the rout.

The result means Wendron have climbed two places to seventh, while St Dennis stay at the foot of the table.

“It was a fantastic second half,” O’Neill told Cornwall Sports Media. “We still played well in the first half and there were some really good patches where we kept the ball for long periods and we moved St Dennis, but we didn’t really have as much of a cutting edge as we did in the second half.

“But on the whole I felt we were in control from pretty much the first few minutes, barring a couple of self-induced mistakes I think we dealt with the overall threat of St Dennis really well.

“I’d have liked a clean sheet but mistakes happen, and fair play to Mikey Davies [for his goal], he’s hit it from the halfway line from a free kick and it’s caught Ethan [Fearn, goalkeeper] out. There’s not many players in the league who could probably do that.

“We were relentless, we were absolutely ruthless with our finishing. We had 31 shots in total and over half on target and obviously eight goals with one two disallowed as well. It was a good day for us in front of goal.”

NEXT UP: Wendron welcome Sticker to Underlane in the league on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).

⚽ Grassroots Review: Brown scores seven as Pandas plunder 15 goals

By Matt Friday

The new-look St Piran League is now well under way with 70 teams in action across the ten divisions on Saturday. Here, we round up the pick of the action across the county…

In the east…

Kieran Ryall scored a hat-trick as unbeaten Premier East leaders St Dominick put eight goals past Millbrook reserves, with Harvey Barrett, Calum Courts, Francis Pengelly, John Styring and Matthew Newton completing the rout at Lovells Park. Saltash Borough are also unbeaten after Dan Halford, Michael Hambly, Shay McCarthy and Scott Watterfall scored in a 4-0 win over Gunnislake.

Caden McGinnes, Josh Sanders and Ben Sharpe found the net for North Petherwin in their 3-0 win at Polperro, while Mark Elvidge’s brace helped Launceston reserves to a 5-2 victory at Altarnun. Elsewhere, Aaron Rockey and Alex Bicknell scored as St Mawgan won 2-0 at Callington Town reserves on Friday night.

Jack Ratcliffe and Harry Hambly scored two goals apiece as St Blazey reserves ran out 8-3 winners at St Columb Major in Division 1. Callum Oldham scored a hat-trick as Nanpean Rovers defeated Torpoint Athletic thirds 5-2 at Victoria Park, while goals from Robert Green (2), Josh Caddy, Sam Brown and Jonathan May secured a 5-1 win for St Minver at home to St Stephen.

Chris Brown scored an astonishing seven goals for Lanivet Inn as the Pandas defeated St Minver reserves 15-1 in Division 2, with Leighton Carhart also bagging a hat-trick, while Nathan Smith scored a 13-minute hat-trick for St Teath as they strolled to a 7-2 win against St Merryn.

In Division 3, Mark Horrell’s hat-trick helped North Petherwin reserves to a 6-1 win over St Dominick reserves, with Callum McGhee, Connor Bone, Kevin Bunkum, Jamie Hussey, Owen Jackson, Jake Thomas and Josef Fowler all finding the net for leaders Lanreath in their 7-3 victory over Gunnislake reserves, while respective hat-tricks for Martyn Cockroft and Alex Gray guided Delabole United towards a 7-1 win over Lifton reserves in Division 4.

In the west…

Aaron Myers scored twice as early Premier West leaders Illogan RBL put five goals past Hayle, with Nathan Hampton, Steven Abbott-Smith and Anton Oliver also netting. St Day are level on points with Illogan and matched their rivals’ five-goal effort in their victory at St Agnes.

Jack Davies, James Henwood, Connor McCarthy, Sam Mellor and Charlie Edney scored as Falmouth Town reserves triumphed 5-0 at Pendeen Rovers, while Joe Baker, Ross Dunstan and Tyreece Gallaway netted as Helston Athletic Development 1 also earned their third win of the season in a three-goal victory at Redruth United.

Elsewhere, Dan Richardson and Kyle Cooke scored as Penryn Athletic earned their first win of the season at home to Wendron United reserves, while Adam Selley (2), Harry Pawsey and Ketan Cooper found the net for Perranwell in their 4-1 win over St Just.

Early Division 1 pacesetters Troon put six goals past winless St Agnes reserves with Daniel Claypitt finding the mark twice, a Ryan Weeks brace gave West Cornwall a 2-1 win at Wendron United thirds and Louis Bell, Joseph Bray, Troy Rendle and Jevon Pryce scored in Porthleven reserves’ 4-0 win over Threemilestone.

Jack Blakeston scored a remarkable six goals as Mawnan reserves won 14-2 at Chacewater in Division 2. Kyeron Snowdon bagged a hat-trick in Penzance reserves’ 8-1 victory over St Day thirds, while Treve Bale also plundered a treble for Stithians in their 7-2 win at St Buryan.

In Division 3, Sam Bullen scored a four-timer as Probus triumphed 5-0 against Goonhavern Athletic and Thierry Murley’s hat-trick helped St Erme to a 6-4 win at St Keverne, while Taylor Hosking and Brandon Light’s respective trebles helped Dropship reserves and Perranporth to victories at Lizard Argyle reserves and Storm.

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🟢 Argyle: Schumacher delighted to be in top ten ahead of the international break

By Colin Bradbury

Plymouth Argyle 3 (Azaz, Hardie, Cundle)
Blackburn Rovers 0
EFL Championship
Saturday, September 2, 2023

Argyle chalked up their second win of the season with a 3-0 win over an impressive Blackburn Rovers side who pressed the Pilgrims all the way.

Manager Steven Schumacher felt that his side won on Saturday despite not playing as well as in the previous two league games that ended in defeat. He said: “We won the game without playing our best – we played better in our last league games.”

The manager made just one change from the side that faced Birmingham City the previous weekend, with Julio Pleguezuelo coming in for Dan Scarr in central defence. Schumacher explained: “I put him in because of where (Blackburn striker) Szmodics plays. Blackburn make loads of runs in the channels and that’s Pleggy’s strength. So it was a tactical decision to put him in the team.”

Rovers came out of the blocks quickly and edged the opening 20 minutes, although the home side also had several chances. But the game turned in the 27th minute when Finn Azaz picked up a pass from Morgan Whittaker on the edge of the box and fired home, albeit with the assistance of a hefty deflection that wrong-footed the visiting ‘keeper.

That’s how it stayed until the 77th minute, when Ryan Hardie pounced on a rebound from a Callum Wright shot to poke home from the edge of the six-yard box. That’s four goals from five league games for the Argyle number nine, putting him joint top of the Championship goals table.

Jordan Houghton (left) and Lewis Gibson (right) celebrate Luke Cundle’s (centre) goal on Saturday. Pictures: Colin Bradbury / Cornwall Sports Media

And Hardie was instrumental in the goal four minutes later that ended the game as a contest. After the Blackburn ‘keeper’s half-hearted clearance from the edge of his box, the Argyle frontman won the ensuing aerial battle to set up Luke Cundle who lobbed the stranded visiting custodian with pin-point accuracy.

While Argyle were full value for their three points, the score line flattered the home side to some extent. The stats show a well-balanced game in terms of possession, numbers of corners won, crosses made etc., although Argyle were ahead in the shots department (nine of 23 shots on target compared to four out of 20 for Blackburn).

The fact that Rovers were ahead in terms of xG, at1.8 compared to Argyle’s 1.3, tells the story though, which is that the quality of finishing was the big difference between the two sides.

Reflecting on individual performances after the final whistle, attention inevitably focused on Hardie. Schumacher said: “Not only has he scored goals, but his all-round game is also getting better. He looks stronger, he’s more reliable on the ball. He’s always been a good finisher. It couldn’t have gone much better for him.”

The manager also had positive words for Luke Cundle and was particularly pleased to see the midfielder bag his debut goal for the Pilgrims. He said: “Luke’s finish was brilliant. We wanted him to add goals and assists to his game, he didn’t have enough shots for Swansea last season. He and Callum Wright both came on and made a difference.”

Julio Pleguezuelo made his first Championship start for Argyle on Saturday

Schumacher was equally pleased that Argyle kept Blackburn from converting any of their chances and felt that his decision to play Pleguezuelo paid off: “Another positive is that we managed to keep a clean sheet against s really good attacking team. Pleggy played really well. The more he plays at this level, the better he’s going to get.”

The Spanish defender also scooped a well-deserved Man of the Match award and showed his delight by bringing his two young children down to the Devonport end at the end of the game to acknowledge the applause. He’s clearly very happy with his move to the south west and already appreciates the importance of the Green Army: “I’m loving life in Plymouth and it’s always nice when the family’s here. English football is more physical and higher tempo than other leagues, but the fans at Home Park pick you up and give you that extra bit of energy to get over bad patches.”

Schumacher also commented on the latest arrival at Home Park, Sierra Leone forward Mustapha Bundu, who signed in the last moments of the transfer window on Friday: “I’m pleased to get a new striker over the line. He’s an athletic type who’s going to give us another dimension. He can play in all different positions across the front three. He’s played a lot for his country as a number nine and has played on the left and right for Anderlecht and Aarhus. He’s strong and technically good, he gives us the physical presence at the top end of the pitch that we need.

“With think he can do well in our style of play — the Argyle fans will love him.”

The manager also pointed out that since Bundu is a permanent signing, that gives him the potentially useful option of making another loan signing in the January window.

Schumacher likes what he has seen so far from his players and feels that performances are improving game-by-game: “To have seven points from five games and to be tenth going into the international break…for us to be there is brilliant. We’re going to need all our energy to get the same number of points in the next block of games.”

NEXT UP: The international break means Argyle have this weekend off, with the Pilgrims heading to early leaders Preston North End the following Saturday (September 16, kick-off 3pm).