⚽ Cornwall Football: April 8 round-up
Quickfire double helps Helston dent Mousehole's title bid; Sullivan hat-trick keeps Truro City's own title hopes alive; Cloke brace takes St Blazey within one point of SWPL crown
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⬇️ In today’s newsletter ⬇️
🙌 Helston boss ‘really proud’ of side after Mousehole triumph
🧱 Bodmin chief Bunney eyes summer rebuild after Wadebridge defeat
🟡 ‘Not a vintage performance’ in Cadbury Heath win, admits Falmouth boss
🟢 St Blazey chief pleased with ‘professional’ display in derby victory
🏆 ‘I have always looked on from the outside when it comes to Senior Cup’ — Massey
🐯 Sullivan hat-trick keeps White Tigers’ slim title hopes alive
🔵 Western: Quickfire double helps Blues dent Seagulls’ title bid
👑 SWPL: Cloke brace takes Blazey within one point of crown
💚 Argyle hit back to secure priceless victory at Morecambe
👀 What’s on this weekend
Enjoy. 〓〓
🙌 Helston boss ‘really proud’ of side after Mousehole triumph
By Matt Friday at Kellaway Park
Helston Athletic manager Matt Cusack said he is ‘really proud’ of his team after they defeated title-chasers Mousehole 2-0 to become the first team to beat the Seagulls in the Western League since the middle of August.
With the Blues awaiting their first Cornwall Senior Cup final in ten years on Monday when they take on Millbrook, and with Jake Ash’s side chasing the league title and promotion to the Southern League, you could be forgiven for thinking that one team might be more focused on this game than the other.
But that certainly did not play out in reality as Helston controlled proceedings against a fatigued Mousehole in front of a 416-strong crowd at Kellaway Park, with Teigan Rosenquest and Sam Carter striking the decisive blows within a minute of each other in the second half.
Blues left-back Rosenquest opened the scoring in the 56th minute when he intercepted a pass in the Mousehole third and surged into the box before firing the ball past goalkeeper Ollie Chenoweth, with the Seagulls barely able to draw breath before Carter finished off a fine team move from inside the box virtually 60 seconds later to double the home side’s advantage.
The win sees Helston return to sixth in the Western League Premier Division table after Shepton Mallet were held to a 2-2 draw at Welton Rovers, which is just rewards for the Blues’ determination to ‘concentrate on the league’ in spite of their looming cup final.
“We were never going to roll over today,” Cusack told Cornwall Sports Media after the game. “People would have expected us to come here and have one eye on Monday, but it’s not in my make-up and we had a point to prove after [losing to Mousehole on] Boxing Day because we felt that we were a little bit short-changed that day.
“We were very much aware of the fact that they were the only team that could do the double over us in the league and we wanted to preserve that record that no team does that to us in the season.
“Coming into today we were unbeaten in 12, that’s now 13 so we have that record to protect, and we’re also at home in a local derby, so in terms of a warm-up for Monday it was an absolutely fantastic performance from the boys. I’m really proud of each and every one of them.”
He added: “The two goals we scored were in transition, we called it at half-time that we just needed a bit more quality in how we manage the ball and we did that and we scored two quick goals which I think shell shocked them a little bit.
“After that it was important that we concentrated because we expected a late rally and we got it, but credit to the boys, they dug in, each and every one of them, even the ones that came on. They stuck to the task, concentration was great and we managed to get three points.”
Helston and Cusack will indeed turn their attention to the Senior Cup final now, with the Blues potentially just 90 minutes away from lifting the trophy for the first time since 1937.
Cusack, who guided Saltash United to the trophy in 2018, is as aware as anyone else connected with the club of the significance surrounding the Easter Monday clash with Millbrook, but he will be looking forward to the match even more after his squad delivered a high-quality performance on Friday.
“I said to the boys that we really can’t be thinking about Monday [before Friday’s game] because if you go out there and think, ‘I’ll just swan around and I’ll just give a little bit because I want to keep something for Monday,’ then you’re indirectly telling me that you can’t trust me on Monday, because this is a big game today and Monday is a big game,” he said.
“But they didn’t do that and I knew they wouldn’t because I know their characters, but I just wanted to make sure that they hit the standards that we expect. Now we can firmly turn our attention to Millbrook on Monday at St Blazey. It’s a great occasion, it’s a big occasion, the Senior Cup final — Cornwall’s showpiece event — and we’re really looking forward to it.”
‘No complaints about the result’ — Ash
Cusack’s opposite number Ash was in no doubt as to which team deserved to win the game, with the Mousehole chief admitting that his side weren’t at the races against their Cornish colleagues.
The title-chasing Seagulls are not used to losing, with this their first league defeat since a 2-1 reverse at home to Millbrook on August 16 — some 234 days and 28 games ago.
Mousehole remain two points behind leaders Saltash United but still hold the trump card of a game in hand, meaning their destiny is still very much in their hands despite this untimely defeat.
But after an energy-sapping week that saw the Seagulls play three times in six days — with defeat to Helston being preceded by victories over Wellington and Shepton Mallet — Ash knows his squad need to delve into their energy reserves ahead of the final push to the line, which resumes at home to Clevedon Town on Easter Monday.
“[It was] a fair result, the better team on the day definitely won,” Ash told Cornwall Sports Media. “I’ve got no questions about that and that’s not dressing it up in any way, shape or form — they were the better side and thoroughly deserved to win.
“We weren’t at it all today, the energy levels weren’t there. We looked really tired today, which is maybe a result of Tuesday [at Wellington]. The energy levels on Tuesday were incredible and I think today it showed, they were so high on Tuesday that they were always going to dip.”
He continued: “It’s our first loss since August and I think before today we had 18 wins in the last 20 games which is an incredible record. So you lose games of football, it happens. Obviously when it happens at the end of the season you’re disappointed, but it was going to happen at some point.
“I felt like it was a free hit for Helston, they played with a real freedom about themselves. They’re probably not going to move up or down too much in the league table and they looked like that today. I thought that their shape was good and they were good on the ball and they stopped us being a threat.
“No complaints about the result, we know why it’s happened and we know what we need to do over the next 48 hours to try and be ready to go again on Monday.”
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🧱 Bodmin chief Bunney eyes summer rebuild after Wadebridge defeat
By Tom Howe at Priory Park
Bodmin Town boss Dane Bunney cut a frustrated figure after watching his side lose 3-0 to a Wadebridge Town team he said ‘were there for the taking’.
Both went into the Good Friday derby with scores to settle, with Bunney’s charges having been thumped 9-0 by Liskeard Athletic in midweek and with Rowe having blasted the Bridgers’ performance in a 2-2 draw against St Austell last time out.
The hosts came out of the traps quicker and saw Connor Spear adjudged to have been in an offside position when sliding Bodmin in front after a little over five minutes of play.
Wadebridge caught a break when Jacob Rowe capitalised on a slip to put his side a goal up at the break before going on to score twice more, including one from the penalty spot, to complete a well-taken treble.
“I thought we were all right,” began Bunney when quizzed by Cornwall Sports Media. “It is a tough ask for the boys who obviously got a bit of a spanking off Liskeard the other night. I think we did enough in the first half to show that there was a reaction there. We were unlucky not to have gone 1-0 up. The ball came backwards and was flagged offside. If that had counted, it would have given us something to hold onto and the game might have been slightly different.
“In the second half things got away from us a little bit but it was a good effort from the boys really. We are all right playing teams in and around us but when we play the top four sides, that is probably a bit too much for us. We are not going to go up or go down. We are not in any danger, will finish mid-table and will hopefully have a good summer and rebuild the side.
“I want us to be the best team that we can. I am not coming down here, an hour from home, to finish mid-table. We are going to hopefully build a team that can compete. Days like today frustrate me because I think Wadebridge were there for the taking.
“If we had a little bit more about us then we would have won the game but we haven’t got those tools in our armoury at the moment. That is what we have to try and build to compete against the better sides in the league.”
Hat-trick hero Rowe ‘gave us a platform’ to win
Bunney’s opposite number, Rowe, took the opportunity to assess Bodmin’s situation when attending their midweek mauling against a heavily in-form Liskeard side, who netted through Dan Jennings (3), Finn Bartlett (2), Harry Jeffery, Ruben Kane, Ryan Richards and James Rowe.
It was the Priory Park side’s first outing in 31 days and an unfair reflection on their progress since Bunney’s arrival, as evidenced by their far more competitive nature against Wadebridge.
“They have had some good results interspersed with some not so good,” said Rowe of his side’s local rivals. “I think that Dane will be the first to admit that they were really poor in midweek. We didn’t expect them to be that side again. They have had enough good results to suggest to us that it would be a tougher test.
“I remember Dane coming down with Saltash and beating us 9-0 at the beginning of Wadebridge’s Step 6 journey. It’s about hard work and keeping going. Dane will see enough green shoots there today to have some encouragement moving forward.”
As for his own side’s performance, Rowe admitted a jolt to the system was required to help things click and shake off the hangover from their disappointing draw against St Austell.
“I was really disappointed with the first half,” he said. “We carried on from [the performance against] St Austell last week. We couldn’t get our wide players into the game at all. We wanted to get high and wide but we weren’t good enough to get them on the ball. We changed things at half-time, brought things in field and played the ball in the middle of the park. We accepted that today wasn’t going to be our day as a passing team and that we needed to go in and pick up second balls.
“As it happened, that was the catalyst for our front three to really come alive. When you have got somebody like Jacob you have always got a chance. He has done it for quite a while. He has always scored goals and is somebody that I have been trying to get in for quite some time. He was the difference today in a first half which, if we had come in behind, we wouldn’t have had any complaints. We have gone in a goal up because he scored one out of nothing.
“We dominated the game in the second half but he was the one that gave us a platform. We had had words at half-time. There were no teacups flying around or anything like that but there were a few home truths about what we demand of them off the back of the St Austell game. From our point of view, we need to be better and more consistent if we are going to be challenging next year.
“We will probably end up finishing fourth and, on reflection, that would be about right. The league table doesn’t lie. The three teams that will finish above us probably have been better this year and a bit more consistent, if I am honest. I don’t think we hit those heights enough. We are still a little bit behind but we will be looking to sort things out in the summer and see if we can be in a position come August where we are really, really ready to challenge.”
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🟡 ‘Not a vintage performance’ in Cadbury Heath win, admits Falmouth boss
By Matt Friday at Bickland Park
Falmouth Town manager Andrew Westgarth admitted his side’s performance wasn’t up to scratch despite strolling to a 5-1 victory over Cadbury Heath in the Western League Premier Division on Good Friday.
Tim Nixon scored twice and Luke Barner, Luke Brabyn and Olly Walker also found the net for the hosts in front of a healthy 491 crowd at Bickland Park, with Tom Withers replying for the league’s bottom side.
Nixon opened the scoring when his bullet header cannoned off the post and rebounded into the net off the unlucky Jordan Schofield in the Heath goal, and while Withers levelled just before the break, Barner was on hand to restore Town’s lead immediately with a composed finish.
Brabyn doubled the home side’s lead just after the hour when he found the net from Walker’s cross, but missed the chance to add a fourth when his penalty was well saved by Schofield after Dan Winstone had handled inside the box.
But it was four soon after with the goal of the day when Walker provided a sublime chip over Schofield that nestled inside the far post, with the visitors then having a goal ruled out for offside before Nixon completed the scoring late on with a cool finish after a fine team move.
The victory keeps Town in eighth position in the Western League, with Westgarth’s pre-season target of a top-half finish almost confirmed.
“I think the scoreline pleased me more than the performance, I don’t actually think we were that good. We’ve definitely played a lot better,” Westgarth said after the game. “We started the game all right but we just couldn’t find that extra gear in the first half, we had no real attacking threat and I thought we were poor with the ball from the back.
“It wasn’t vintage at all in the first half and obviously to concede just on half-time I wasn’t very happy, but then our goal 30 seconds later definitely changes your outlook on the half in your team talk, but I think the boys knew they had more to give.
“In the second half I was delighted with the scoreline but it could easily have been 4-2 but their guy was offside. I wouldn’t say it makes it nervy [if the goal was given] because that was pretty much all they had, I think they scored one, had one disallowed and that was pretty much them.
“It was pleasing for us to have a healthy scoreline, we haven’t had many of them in this league so I’m absolutely delighted overall with the margin and I’m really pleased with the manner of the goals we scored as well, they were quite nice goals actually.”
Walker received the club’s man-of-the-match award despite only playing the last half an hour of the game, such was the winger’s impact from the bench as a 61st-minute substitute for Barner.
Walker provided the assist for Brabyn within two minutes of entering the field, before going on to score the pick of the goals with his sensational lob and then playing a part in Nixon’s second and Town’s fifth of the day.
Westgarth also hailed Nixon’s contribution on the other flank, with the winger scoring twice to take his tally for the season to 16 — a total that makes him the club’s top goalscorer this term.
“[Nixon’s] second goal was a lovely finish and he’s really added [goals] to his game this year," Westgarth said. "To be the top goalscorer in a team when you’re a winger, you can read into that what you want but I would look at that as a positive.
“Nico’s really taken to the Western League this year and he put in a very good performance today and his second goal was the pick of his bunch, it was a great team goal and a great finish under pressure.
“We’ve missed [Walker] really, he’s been electric every time he’s played for us and his goal was top-drawer,” he said. “Him coming on gives you that different dynamic, he’s a completely different winger to what we’ve already got: he’s direct, he’s at people, he makes things happen, he just puts the fear of death into defenders.
“He comes on and gets an assist, then gets another one and a goal, a great impact for half an hour and we’ve really missed him.”
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🟢 St Blazey chief pleased with ‘professional’ display in derby victory
By Gareth Davies at Poltair Park
St Blazey boss Phil Lafferty hailed his side’s ‘professional’ performance after a 4-0 Good Friday triumph over fierce local rivals AFC St Austell.
The Poltair Park clash, played out in front of a bumper crowd under clear blue skies, saw Blazey hold a narrow 1-0 lead at half-time thanks to Luke Cloke’s 15th minute strike.
Trailing at the break was harsh on the Lillywhites, who found Blazey custodian Shaun Semmens in fine form as he made several wonderful saves.
After the turnaround, Blazey found another gear and a second from skipper Cloke, along with single strikes from Joe Cooper and substitute Liam Eddy, mean the Blaise Park outfit are just one point from the South West Peninsula Premier West title with two games left — home to Sticker (Wednesday) and then nearest rivals Wendron United travel to mid-Cornwall (April 22).
“The word professional perhaps encapsulates our performance the best,” Lafferty said, speaking exclusively to Cornwall Sports Media at full time. “Two weeks ago, we go to Liskeard and put in the performance of our season and in every department, from first minute to last, we were superior.
“This league, and no disrespect to St Austell, means you have to go to the less fancied teams and the organisation, motivation, tempo and intensity doesn’t always arrive in the first minute.
“The hardest thing I’ve found about this league this season is how we get that Liskeard performance and mentality at other, less fancied clubs.
“I actually thought our first half performance against St Austell was quite poor even though we led 1-0. We didn’t dominate possession and test their goalkeeper. In fact, I thought (Shaun Semmens) Semo was the busier goalkeeper in my opinion and pulled off two top drawer saves.
“It was a bit like Boxing Day really where we turned up in the second half and were more forceful and aggressive. In the end, though, I think we ran out comfortable and deserved winners.”
‘Flimsy defending’ frustrates Smith
Meanwhile, Lafferty’s opposite number Mark Smith, who is stepping down at the end of the current campaign, was left with mixed emotions at full time after his final home game in charge.
“The lads have given everything physically and mentally which has been something they have done throughout my tenure,” he added, also in an exclusive interview with Cornwall Sports Media.
“I think if you needed 90 minutes to capture why we have decided to step away as a management team then there it is. I thought for long periods we were on top and then they score when we are on top from flimsy defending.
“We didn’t look like scoring against a very well organised defence and then the third goal for St Blazey is a very poor refereeing decision which frustrates me as it was never a foul.
“They were a threat at set-pieces and we warned the lads about that so the third goal killed the game off completely.
“We didn’t have enough on the bench to effect the game because Tyler Cheshire was called away for work and Chris Kilbey didn’t make it through the warm-up. They had someone like Liam Eddy on the bench and we didn’t have anyone on the bench that could come on and change the game.
“I’m not saying Liam came on and changed the game, but it would have been a nice option if we had that ourselves.”
🏆 ‘I have always looked on from the outside when it comes to Senior Cup’ — Massey
By Tom Howe
Helston Athletic director of football Steve Massey will finally get a crack at a Cornwall Senior Cup final this Easter Monday, some 35 years after leaving the professional game in favour of a move to the county.
The Lancashire boy represented Stockport County, Bournemouth and Wrexham amongst others during a playing career that ultimately wound its way into the South West with a Truro City side that he later went on to manage.
Two further spells in the Treyew Road hot seat were to follow, as well as a stint at Falmouth Town, before Massey set up shop at Helston’s Kellaway Park ahead of the 2017/18 campaign.
In all that time, the one thing that had evaded him was an appearance for one of his sides in what he describes as the ‘showpiece’ of Cornish football. That long wait came to an end thanks to last month’s 4-0 win over Western League rivals Saltash United.
The triumph paved the way for a meeting with Millbrook, another Western League side, at St Blazey’s Blaise Park on April 10, with Massey telling Cornwall Sports Media: “This is something that has been in the making for 35 years. It is honestly magical. I got emotional right at the end of the semi-final, particularly when Stevie Colwell came running over. The players knew how much it meant to me. It was nice for all of them at the end to say ‘that’s for you Mass, that’s for you’. This was my third semi-final. I have always looked on from the outside when it comes to the football showpiece in Cornwall.
“Now I am going to be there with one of my teams. It feels really, really, really good and to put on a performance like that to take us into the final…it wasn’t a scrappy, messy 1-0 or 2-1. We actually looked really, really good. We were good on the break, on the counter and I thought we fully deserved the 4-0 scoreline if not even more. Whoever had made the final was going to be worried about us, without a doubt. We had been threatening that result.
“The big point in the game was Mike Searle’s penalty save. It was a great, great save that lifted our boys. Anything that [Saltash] tried to do, we nullified it. I thought the back three of Josh Storey, Harrison Jewell and Jordan Bentley were immense. Saltash have got Sam Hughes, Mike Smith and Adam Carter who were kept totally quiet the whole game.
“It is a really nice feeling. I had little spells of about five seconds driving up in the car, a little shiver thinking what if we could win and get into the final? We thought we were going to Shepton Mallet, which is a very nice place to go, but I will much rather be staying in Cornwall now on Easter Monday.”
Having guided the team into Step 5 for the very first time in their history, Massey masterminded last summer’s appointment of former Plymouth Parkway coach Matt Cusack, himself a Cornwall Senior Cup winner with Saltash in 2017/18.
Massey moved upstairs to his current role as director of football at the time and has since enjoyed a fruitful working relationship with the manager, who has led Helston on an unbeaten run of 13 matches going into the final.
“Although I’m director of football, I would never be saying you need to pick him or you need to do that,” continued Massey. “We had a really good discussion and I told him that we need to make that final breakthrough to become a really, really good side. We have been dominating teams without putting them to bed.
“Against Saltash, we dominated them, were in control and we put them to bed. We have squad depth. We had five on the bench [against Saltash] and that was without any of the talented youngsters that are coming through and bursting into the scene. I was really, really proud. For Paul (Hendy, chairman) and all the people that work behind the scenes, it is brilliant for them."
🐯 Sullivan hat-trick keeps White Tigers’ slim title hopes alive
Truro City’s Southern League Premier South title fate is now firmly out of their hands, but they did at least get their job done on Good Friday by running out 4-1 winners at Harrow Borough.
City fell behind early on in London, but the White Tigers roared back in the second half with Dan Sullivan plundering an impressive treble and Rocky Neal also netting to clinch a fine comeback victory…
⚽ One down: Harrow open the scoring completely against the run of play, with James Ewington charging through and blasting the ball into the top corner. 1-0 (10’)
⚽ Level: Sullivan bags his first of the day early in the second half when he drives into the box before firing high into the corner. 1-1 (52’)
⚽ Turnaround: Sullivan gets his second as he slots past home custodian Jacob Knightbridge from close range. 1-2 (63’)
⚽ Breathing room: Harvey Greenslade is pushed to the ground inside the box and Neal scores from the spot to double City’s advantage. 1-3 (70’)
⚽ Hat-trick: Wow! City regain possession from the kick-off and Sullivan charges forward and releases a rocket into the top corner to complete his hat-trick. 1-4 (71’)
📋 City: Hamon, Craske, Riley-Lowe, Adelsbury (Haste 78), Palmer, En-Neyah (Brett HT), Dean, Sullivan, White, Neal (Okoro 75), Greenslade. Subs (unused): Knowles, Egan.
“We conceded a poor goal but I just said to the lads at half-time, ‘Just believe in the process, stay calm.’ We were starting to get a little bit frustratd, a little bit edgy, and in the second half we’ve totally dominated the game and deservedly won.
“The league title, if Weston don’t do it then wow, it’s going to be one of the biggest upsets of all time. It’s not about the league position, it’s about bouncing back from disappointment and the boys have done that today.”
[On hat-trick hero Dan Sullivan] “In the second half against Beaconsfield last week he carried the team forward and he did it again today. I’m really pleased for Sully to get his hat-trick, his work-rate is fantastic and he’s a pleasure to have in the team.”
City are now third after Bracknell Town took six points in fewer than 48 hours after wins over Metropolitan Police and Swindon Supermarine, but Weston-super-Mare’s goalless draw at Hartley Wintney means both sides still have hope of snatching the title, with the Seagulls having played a game more…
📈 The Southern League summit:
Weston-super-Mare, 83pts
—————————————
Bracknell Town, 78pts
Truro City, 77pts
Chesham United, 73pts
Poole Town, 71pts
—————————————
Swindon Supermarine, 65pts
Hayes & Yeading United, 61pts
Metropolitan Police, 61pts
Merthyr Town, 60pts
Beaconsfield Town, 56pts
💪 Western: Quickfire double helps Blues dent Seagulls’ title bid
Falmouth Town 5-1 Cadbury Heath
Two goals from Tim Nixon and one from each of Luke Barner, Luke Brabyn and Olly Walker — the latter providing a majestic lob — secured a comprehensive win for Town over bottom side Cadbury Heath, who had levelled just before the break through Tom Withers’ smart finish.
Helston Athletic 2-0 Mousehole
Two goals from Teigan Rosenquest and Sam Carter within little more than 60 seconds of each other in the second half at Kellaway Park condemned the Seagulls to their first league defeat since August, while also extending the Blues’ unbeaten run in all competitions to 13 matches.
Torpoint Athletic 2-0 Millbrook
Goals in either half from the league’s top goalscorer Curtis Damerell — his 29th of the campaign — and Ryan Richards gave the Point all three points over Senior Cup finalists Millbrook in front of 362 at The Mill.
A rare defeat for Mousehole keeps them two points behind Saltash United with just one game in hand on the Ashes remaining…
📈 The top of the Western League:
Saltash United, 78pts
Mousehole, 76pts
Bridgwater United, 65pts
Buckland Athletic, 65pts
Barnstaple Town, 57pts
Helston Athletic, 56pts
Shepton Mallet, 55pts
Falmouth Town, 46pts
Clevedon Town, 43pts
Ashton & Backwell United, 42pts
🔥 SWPL: Cloke brace takes Blazey within one point of crown
Bodmin Town 0-3 Wadebridge Town
Jacob Rowe scored a hat-trick to take himself to 32 goals for the season and give the third-placed Bridgers their 20th league win of the season.
Luke Potter and Tornado Bello gave the Seasiders all three points in the north Cornwall derby at Broadclose Park to all but ensure a top-five finish for the home side, while Camelford remain ninth.
Callington Town 0-0 Launceston
Neither side could find a breakthrough in this lower mid-table clash at Marshfield Parc, with the Pasty Men rising one place to 12th while the Clarets remain 14th respectively.
Liskeard Athletic 6-1 Dobwalls
Dan Jennings scored his 33rd goal of the season from the spot to round off the Blues’ comfortable victory over their local rivals. A Ruben Kane brace and goals from Max Gilbert, Jarrad Woods and James Rowe put the hosts five up at the break before Jennings’ second-half spot-kick, with Kelvin Fyneboy pulling one back later on.
A Charlie Young double —to take his tally for the campaign to 26 — and strikes from Josh Wood and Ryan Reeve keep Wendron’s faint title hopes alive until Wednesday at least.
A brace from Luke Cloke — his 28th and 29th of the season — and two late efforts from Joe Cooper and Liam Eddy ensured a comprehensive derby victory for St Blazey and leave them needing just one more point to secure the league title.
Haiden Chapman, Ovo Ememerurai and Alfie Flack netted as Sticker got the better of their local rivals to triumph in the clash between the bottom two teams in the division, with Mikey Davies scoring the Saints’ goal from the spot.
St Blazey are now six points clear of Wendron United with both sides having two games left to play. It means the Green and Blacks will be champions on Wednesday night if they get at least a draw at home to Sticker…
📈 The top of the SWPL:
St Blazey, 73pts
Wendron United, 67pts
Wadebridge Town, 64pts
Liskeard Athletic, 61pts
Bude Town, 52pts
Newquay, 47pts
St Austell, 38pts
Dobwalls, 36pts
Camelford, 35pts
Mullion, 27pts
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💚 Argyle hit back to secure priceless victory at Morecambe
Plymouth Argyle’s trip to Morecambe on Good Friday was always likely to be an interesting one after their Papa Johns Trophy final nightmare five days earlier, and so it proved.
A response from their Wembley humilation was vital, and while Steven Schumacher’s side fell behind in only the third minute — one minute earlier than against Bolton — a first of the season from Danny Mayor and first goals in Green for both Ben Waine and Jay Matete secured a massively important 3-1 win.
The situation looked bleak at half-time with Argyle losing and Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday both leading, but with the Owls ultimately drawing at Oxford and Barnsley losing at Burton, it means life is looking rather more rosy again…
⚽ Nightmare start: Morecambe break from an Argyle corner and Jensen Weir has a clear run on goal, slotting a neat finish beyond Callum Burton and in off the far post. 1-0 (3’)
⚽ Back on terms: Argyle equalise in style, with substitute Mayor coming in from the right and bending the ball into the far corner from outside the box! 1-1 (63’)
⚽ Massive moment: Could this be the goal that define Argyle’s season? Matete does brilliantly to win the ball on the edge of the Shrimps box and delivers a low cross for Waine to steer past Connor Ripley and send the Green Army wild. 1-2 (87’)
⚽ All done: With Morecambe seeking a leveller, the Pilgrims break down the left and Callum Wright plays in Matete, who fires low past Ripley to make sure of the points. 1-3 (90’)
Argyle: Burton, Houghton (Matete 83), Wilson, Scarr, Butcher (Mayor 57), Edwards (Mumba 76), Hardie, Miller (C Wright 76), Cosgrove (Waine 57), Galloway, T Wright. Subs (unused): Parkes, Lonwijk.
“We speak about character: they're the characters that I've got in the dressing room. No-one sulks, no-one moans about it, no-one calls me whatever. They just get on with it. They know that I've picked that team for that reason, and when they get their opportunity to come off the bench, I'll need them to make an impact, and that's what we do.
“As a staff, we keep saying to the players that we believe in them. Hopefully they believe in themselves and they trust in us, and we can keep getting reactions like that.”
Argyle are back on top of the pile after Sheffield Wednesday were held at Oxford United, with in-form Ipswich Town now in second spot and still just two points behind after hammering Wycombe Wanderers 4-0, while defeat for Barnsley at Burton Albion leaves their automatic promotion hopes hanging by a thread…
📈 The top of League One:
Plymouth Argyle, 83pts
Ipswich Town, 81pts
—————————————Sheffield Wednesday, 81pts
Barnsley, 75pts
Bolton Wanderers, 67pts
Peterborough United, 67pts
Elsewhere at Home Park:
👀 What’s on this week
⚽️League One: Easter Monday, 3pm: Plymouth Argyle v Lincoln City. Saturday, 12pm: Exeter City v Plymouth Argyle.
⚽️Southern League Premier South: Easter Monday, 3pm: Truro City v Plymouth Parkway. Wednesday, 7.45pm: Truro City v Bracknell Town. Saturday, 3pm: Truro City v Metropolitan Police.
🏆Cornwall Senior Cup final: Easter Monday, 2pm: Helston Athletic v Millbrook (at St Blazey).
⚽️Western League Premier Division: Easter Monday, 3pm (unless stated): Ashton & Backwell United v Saltash United; Bridgwater United v Falmouth Town; Keynsham Town v Torpoint Athletic (1pm); Mousehole v Clevedon Town. Wednesday, 7.30pm: Ashton & Backwell United v Torpoint Athletic. Saturday, 3pm (unless stated): Buckland Athletic v Millbrook; Cadbury Heath v Helston Athletic; Clevedon Town v Saltash United; Keynsham Town v Mousehole; Sherborne Town v Falmouth Town; Wellington v Torpoint Athletic (2pm).
⚽️South West Peninsula League Premier West: Easter Monday, 2pm: Callington Town v Mullion; Penzance v Liskeard Athletic. Wednesday, 7,30pm (unless stated): Bodmin Town v Mullion (7.45pm); Callington Town v St Austell; St Blazey v Sticker; St Dennis v Dobwalls. Saturday, 3pm: Bodmin Town v Dobwalls; Callington Town v Wendron United; Mullion v Wadebridge Town; St Dennis v Liskeard Athletic; Sticker v Newquay.
🏆Walter C Parson League Cup semi-final: Wednesday, 7.30pm: Liskeard Athletic v Newton Abbot Spurs (at Ivybridge Town).
See you on Tuesday!
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