MULLION TAKE THE POINTS BACK SOUTH

Cornwall Combination League

ST AGNES 1 MULLION 2

I last visited St Agnes Football Club some 15 years ago when stopping at John Fowlers on holiday just up the hill, so vaguely remember the place. It was time for a re-visit and now staying in Hayle, it was just along the coastline. The visitors were Mullion, who play not far from the Lizard on the south side of Cornwall and I visited them last season.

In the 15 years past there have been quite a few changes to the ground, including the clubhouse being extended as well as the changing rooms.

On arrival I was kindly greeted by the home committee and management, whilst Hazel and Shawn went in to the nice clubhouse.

Just as the match kicked off, I was joined by London hopper Mark Wilkins who is staying in Plymouth for a few days break.

The game wasnt a classic, it was a routine end of season match with really nothing to play for, but all credit to both sides as they did their best to carve out chances, but they were very even and often cancelled each others moves out, but was still entertaining.

The visitors opened the scoring on 13 minutes, when their young striker ran through and unleashed a solid shot from just inside the right side of the area to make it 0-1. The Saints pushed forward but was missing that final touch to get them selves level, but they did equalise on the hour with a close ranged header.

The game was now anyones to win and I felt that St Agnes were to go on and do that, but Mullion in the 80th minute went back in front with a dipping shot.

The Saints then for the final ten minutes pushed everyone forward and came close several times to get a draw, but it just wasnt their evening and Mullion went home with the points.

Must say to any groundhoppers that havent visited St Agnes FC to go along as they are a very friendly club and well worth a visit.

141 photos from the match can be seen on this LINK

RBL WIN KEENLY FOUGHT CONTEST

CORNWALL COMBINATION LEAGUE

ILLOGAN RBL 2 HAYLE 1

After the Reserves had won their match 2-1, the first team of Illogan RBL entered the pitch with their local rivals Hayle FC, strange to watch 2 matches and both matches in the same colours, Black/White Stripes v Greens!!!

Hayle started the better forcing a couple of dangerous free kicks but the home defence blocked them both times. The visitors looked sharp but the homesters began to come more in to the game and on 22 minutes with their first effort took the lead.

This seemed to boost Illogan as they went in search of a second but close chances went begging. The Second Half began and 59 minutes, a long free kick darted around the home area before a visiting player pounced and made it 1-1.

They say games have turning points and this certainly was one when from a acute angle the Greens of Hayle thought they had scored again on 63 minutes, the attacker ran off to celebrate, whilst the home defender reckons the ball didnt cross the line, the referee seemed to look over at the home linesman as he was too far away from play and then wave play on much to the dislike of the visiting attacker. 

Within 2 minutes, Illogan were back in front with the winner and visitors werent happy with the referee, but all credit to them, they kept their calm and carried on playing in search of a another equaliser, but it didnt come.

A really enjoyable day out at Illogan RBL and I would tell anyone who hasnt visited this club, they would receive a very warm welcome.

187 Photos from this match can be seen on this LINK

RBL RESERVES JUMP IN TO THIRD

Trelawny League

Premier Division

ILLOGAN RESERVES 2 HOLMAN SPORTS CLUB 1

With Storm Hannah hitting Cornwall overnight any match that took place today would have to cope with winds up to 70 miles per hours and the forecast of showers meant I needed to visit a venue with a covered stand.

I visited Illogan on the SWPL Groundhop some years ago, but sine then they have dropped down into te Cornwall Combination League whilst their Reserves ply their trade in the Trelawny League.

On arrival I was greeted by the Club Chairman and then had a brief chat with Mister Holman Neil Pitt who was playing today, just look out for the old fella in green!!!

The venue today offered 2 matches with a 1pm kick off Illogan RBL Reserves hosting Holman Sports Club, whilst at 3pm Illogan RBL played Hayle, so 2 local derbys.

The Reserves match kicked off and Holman had beaten the hosts 3-2 only last week, so the ressies were after revenge, but it was the visitors who took first advantage after just 5 minutes, when  a slip up by a home defender saw the away striker plant the ball in the back of the net.

Illogan pressed forward whilst the visitors played on the break, but the Greens were forced to make a early change due to injury and then Neil Pitt went down injured just after Id taken a photo of him.

On 35 minutes the homesters thought they were level when  a header crashed onto the crossbar before being cleared to safety.

The Second Half saw Illogan come out with more purpose and the visiting keeper was on top form until the 55th minute, when a well worked goal made it 1-1.

A few more tasty challenges were flying in but the referee didnt seem to see them or didnt want to know as he waved play on. Illogan now were beginning to get on top and on 70 minutes a lovely sweet shot beat  the visiting keeper and landed in the bottom corner of the net.

Holman pressed but couldnt break down the home defence and the home win took the victors up to 3rd position in the league table.

152 Photos from this match can be seen on this LINK

THEY DID WELL IN THE RAIN

LWC DRINKS COMBINATION LEAGUE

PERRANWELL FC 5 LIZARD ARGYLE FC 0

Admission: Donation

Att: 24

Last season I saw Perranwell win 4-0 away at St Just and tonight they went one better in a 5-0 victory over Lizard Argyle who are in their First season in the Cornwall Combination League. The weather had turned from a nice sunny day to a rainy evening and it being a bit cooler.  As the match kicked off another hopper Lee West who is also down in Cornwall on holiday arrived, so we had a catch up.

The game kicked off and the visitors had the first chance with a free kick just outside of the area, but the Wells defence stood tall and the ball was cleared. Argyle continued to press and had a couple of corners which failed to find the final touch to trouble the home side.

On 13 minutes, Perranwell FC had a corner of their own on the left hand side and at the far post it was converted from a header. Perranwell pressed in search of a second goal, whilst the visitors played on the counter attack and in the 44th minute hit the crossbar, to which the ball was played up field and to the surprise of the away side, the homesters were awarded a penalty to which it was duly dispatched to double Perranwell;s advantage.

Second Half saw Perranwell come out the blocks the quickest and on 50 minutes made to 3-0 with a cross shot in to the corner of the net. Lizard pushed players more forward but this left gaps at the back and this was exploited on 55 minutes when it became 4-0. We didnt have to wait long for it to become 5-0 when a long ball found out the attacker who lobbed the ball over the outcoming keeper on 62 minutes.

Lizard then had their best spell in the game and how on earth they didnt score I dont now as the home keeper kept them at bay, they then hit the post and then had a ball cleared off the line twice.

A good game and I felt the referee had a fairly decent match

94 Photos from the match can be seen on this LINK

QUICK FIRE START SETS UP TINE VICTORY

Trelawny League

Division Four

CONSTANTINE RESERVES 6 TREGONY FC 3

Att: 40

Looking for a match not too far to book in for our week holidays at Hayle, Constantine seemed to fit the bill only being around 30 minutes away. I put that I was going there on the Leagues Facebook page and got a reply from Brian the Club Chairman.

On arrival, me, Hazel and Shawn were greeted by the clubs friendly committee and soon we had a cuppa.

Word came in to the clubhouse that the teams and referee had agreed that with everyone ready that the match could kick off slightly early so players could take drinks breaks in the game due to the nice 28 degrees sunshine.

The homesters playing in Claret and blue were sitting 2nd from bottom at the start of the day, whilst the visitors wearing Black/White had just clinched runners up in this Division Four encounter.

The game kicked off and the Claret and Blues stormed in to a quick two goal lead with the first goal coming on just 104 seconds and the second going in on 5 minutes. The visitors with a bare eleven nearly conceded a third but a long punt up the sloppy pitch found Constantine on the back foot and the visitors reduced the arrears from the counter attack on 9 minutes. On 18 minutes the visitors were back on level terms when a chip shot landed in the back the net over the outcoming keepers head.

Constantine continued to press forward in the half but failed to trouble the keeper too much.

The Second Half began just like the First with the homesters on the attack and on 53 minutes, they took their advantage on play on to the scoreline when making it 3-2. On 71 minutes came the goal of the day, when the home captain hit a shot from some 40 yards out that smashed the back of the net without the visiting keeper moving to his delight, he decided to celebrate removing his shirt and doing the 100 metres sprint!!!

On 81 minutes, the visitors changed their keeper and the first thing the new keeper did was to remove the ball out of his net as the homesters had taken a 5-2 lead.

On 84 minutes the home captain got his second yellow card, so he was the first player heading to the clubhouse bar and near as damn straight away the visitors pulled a goal back to make it 5-3.

A very entertaining match and I felt the referee Paddy Thompson had a very good match. I did notice on the Full Time League website it does say 6-3 to Constantine Reserves but Im sure I didnt miss a goal as i was tweeting as the goals went in, but still Constantine move up one place on the league table.

A very friendly club and one well worth a visit.

128 photos can be seen on this LINK

CHAMPS PUT DENT INTO UNITEDS HOPES FOR SECOND

Samba Nottinghamshire Senior League

Division One

WOODTHORPE PARK RANGERS FC 1 BRIDGFORD UNITED FC 0

Woodthorpe Park Rangers FC have only been going for three seasons and in their second season in the Notts Senior League won the Division One Championship on Wednesday evening with a win away at Radford Reserves. Last season Bridgford United were the Oranges close rivals finishing runners up to them in Division Two. Bridgford United at start of play sat in fourth place hoping to gain points on those above them in the table.

Out of respect there was a minutes silence asked for by the home side, which both teams honoured.

With both teams having players missing, this was going to be a match that was again going to be close, but it was the Rangers who nearly took the lead after just twenty seconds when a shot was deflected and then fell on to the wrong foot of a forward to shoot and the visitors were able to clear the danger.

Both sides had a game plan with Woodthorpe pressing forward with United breaking on the counter attack, but the only goal of the game came after 31 minutes, when the ball dropped to DARREN OLDHAM on the left side of the penalty area and his shot bounced just before the keeper and landing in to the net.

The Second Half began again with Woodthorpe pressing forward but the best chances of the half were on 54 minutes, when a header from United;s Nat David flew just over the crossbar and then on 78 minutes Woodthorpe thought they had increased their lead when a back pass struck the post.

Bridgford;s loss of this game will be a disappointment for them but with lots of vital points still to play for, second place is still there to be gained but it will be difficult as there are no easy matches at the end of a season.

I thought the referee Kieran Shaw had a very good match.

I would also like to say a special thanks to WOODTHORPE PARK RANGERS FC who had pledged 25p each goal they scored this season and with scoring 118 kindly donated a massive £30 towards the blogs charity FORGET ME NOT, a small charity that helps and supports people with dementia, the running total now stands at a superb £1,259.59p

148 photos can be seen on this LINK

UNITED THROUGH TO FINAL

Midland & Notts Alliance League

League Cup: Semi Final

@ Eagle Valley

Att: 68 headcount

With the match I was attending being a 3pm kick off on a near by pitch, I noted on Facebook that this League Cup tie was kicking off at 2pm, with United Grays having won their league championship, they turned their attention to their League Cup campaign where they faced 3rd placed Rainworth Seniors. I knew I could only watch the first twenty minutes and the time I watched saw both side have few chances in a keenly contested tie.

United Grays went on to win the tie 1-0 and have set up a final against Quarrydale United who drew 0-0 with Asha FC in the other Semi Final but advanced 4-1 on penalties.

Photos that I took are on this LINK

CITY BEAT RED BADGERS

Samba Nottinghamshire Senior League

Premier Division

SOUTHWELL CITY 3 EASTWOOD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 0

On Wednesday evening, Southwell City beat Aslockton & Orston to reach the Senior League Cup Final to meet Stapleford Town on Saturday 18th May at Basford United FC with a 5pm kick off. Id not been to the Memorial Ground this season so a visit was due with Eastwood Community Development their opponents.

The match kicked off with teams matching each other but the first chance going to the visitors when a back pass to the home keeper seemed to be heading in for a own goal, but to the relief of the homesters was cleared just in time.

Southwell started to get more in to the game but the Badgers defence stood tall until the 28th minute, when a failed clearance to the edge of the penalty area found WILLIAM STOCKS who lashed home a half volley to put City in to the lead.

Eastwood pushed forward and could well have been back on level terms but for a double block by Fletcher in the City net. This proved to be the turning point of the match, as Southwell broke forward and forced a very good diving save from Bonsu in the visitors goal to push out for a corner on the left hand side. The corner was swung in and a header was pushed on to the crossbar by the keeper but fell at the feet of ANTHONY BROWN who tapped his side in to a two goal advantage.

My son Shawn was enjoying himself with a barge pole with a net on, so every time the ball was out of play and it went in to the brook, off went Shawn with the net to retrive the match balls.

The Second Half saw City replace striker Law who was injured in the First Half and change their formation slightly.

City continued to go forward in search of more goals, but found Bonsu in great form keeping his side in the match, but in the 70th minute had no answer when BRADLEY McDONALD struck his shot from 35 yards.

I felt the 3 officials all had good games.

108 photos can be seen on this LINK