⚽ Cornwall Football: Truro City promoted to National League South after play-off final win
Plus: Falmouth DC clinch maiden Cornwall Junior Cup crown; Saltash United stay in Western League after play-off heartache; Plymouth Argyle promoted to Championship after victory over Burton
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⬇️ In today’s newsletter ⬇️
🐯 Truro City promoted to National League South after play-off final win
🏆 Falmouth DC clinch maiden Junior Cup crown
🟥 Red card galvanised us, says victorious DC boss
💔 Ashes stay in Western League after play-off heartache
💚 Argyle promoted to Championship after victory over Burton
👀 What’s on this weekend
Enjoy. 〓〓
🐯 Truro City promoted to National League South after play-off final win
By Matt Friday
Truro City will return to the National League South next season after Connor Riley-Lowe’s stoppage-time goal secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Bracknell Town in their Southern League Premier Play-Off Final on Bank Holiday Monday.
City opened the scoring in Berkshire on the stroke of half-time when Rocky Neal chested the ball down on the edge of the box with his back to goal and laid it off for Tyler Harvey to lash the ball into the top corner.
The Robins had the chance to get back on terms nine minutes after the turnaround, however, when Ethan Burden was brought down inside the Truro box, with Darryl Sanders making no mistake from the spot.
Parity lasted all of four minutes before the White Tigers nudged in front again. Robins custodian Michael Eacott did well to deny Harvey from a corner, but Neal was on hand to eventually slot the rebound in from close range.
But the hosts, who finished one point and one place above City in the regular season, roared back again to draw level only another four minutes later. Dan Bayliss headed a diagonal cross back across goal towards Magnus Abisogun, whose acrobatic effort flew past the stranded City gloveman James Hamon.
With the tie seemingly destined for extra-time as the five additional minutes of stoppage time ebbed away, City fashioned one final chance in the 94th minute to snatch a dramatic victory. Lurking inside the box, White Tigers skipper Riley-Lowe controlled a throw-in and played a one-two with Neal before lashing the return ball into the far corner to spark delirium amongst the City supporters behind the goal.
City can now look forward to their first campaign in the National League South since 2019, and will be joined there by Southern League Premier South champions Weston-super-Mare, their former landlords Torquay United, and Yeovil Town, who will compete in the sixth tier for the first time since 1997 and were a Championship side as recently as 2014.
“I’m really emotional. This bunch of players have got the biggest heart. They’ve had so many things thrown against them. We’ve played 42 away games and we’ve been promoted, absolutely magnificent.
“They’ve had so much adversity against them, even today, the bus breaks down and we get here late. We’re leading twice and they come back but they’re never beaten. They’re the best group of boys and I’m so pleased for them.
“It’s my fourth season. Covid cheated us of our first title [in 2020], we’d have gone up then and the boys have stuck with it. From the first day of pre-season they never missed a session. They travel miles, they give up their time for work, they give up their time with their families, they’re absolutely tremendous and I could not be prouder.”
Match information
Bracknell Town: Eacott, Dean, Burden, Fraser, Bayliss, Lodge, Abisogun, Herbert, Esprit (Harris 66), Sanders, English. Subs (unused): Knight, Grant, Platt, Osu.
Truro City: Hamon, Craske, Riley-Lowe, Adelsbury, Palmer, En-Neyah (Brett 54), Dean, T Harvey, Sullivan, White, Neal. Subs (unused): Knowles, Greenslade, Egan, C Harvey.
Referee: Harry Warner
Attendance: 1554.
🏆 Falmouth DC clinch maiden Junior Cup crown
By Matt Friday at Underlane
Falmouth DC lifted the Cornwall Junior Cup for the first time on Sunday after a 2-0 win over fellow Trelawny League side Dropship in this year's final.
Despite losing Rhys Allen to an early red card, goals in either half from Ryan Chinn and Fraser Harris clinched an historic Junior Cup crown in front of more than 400 spectators at Wendron United's Underlane ground.
This year's final was not only an all-west affair but also an all-lower division encounter as Trelawny League Division 2 champions Falmouth DC took on Division 3 title-winners Dropship, with both sides competing in the Junior Cup showpiece for the first time.
Both sides have taken the Trelawny League by storm this season and that was shown in the teams' respective routes to the final, with Tony Pentecost's Falmouth side claiming the scalp of Premier Division champions Troon in the quarter-finals while Wayne Berry's Dropship dispatched top-tier runners-up West Cornwall in the semi-finals.
It was DC who blinked first in the final, however, when Allen's late lunge on Oscar Fergus-Gay in only the fifth minute saw him receive his marching orders from merry whistle blower Adam Batchelor.
But the Dracaena outfit, who have already won the Division 2 title with one game still to play, quickly took control of proceedings despite their disadvantage. Their appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears when Jack Blakeston's shot appeared to strike an arm before Kyle Cooke's effort was deflected onto Matt Quick's crossbar shortly after.
But DC didn't have to wait too much longer to get their noses in front. Chinn received the ball and took aim 25 yards from goal, with the strike taking a helpful deflection off a lime green shirt to take it past Dropship gloveman Quick.
Seeking a speedy response, Dropship midfielder Paul Robertson fired wide from distance before skipper Liam Chinn forced a routine save out of Callum Davis, while Quick had to be alert at the other end to tip Cooke's teasing cross away from his top corner.
Dropship came out firing after the turnaround and began to lay siege to the DC goal, with Liam Jarvis and Ben Kellow both being denied by Davis within a few moments of each other before Fergus-Gay's effort was hooked off the line by Ryan Chinn.
But DC struck a devastating blow to their opponents in the 56th minute when they doubled their advantage against the run of play. Harris received the ball towards the left touchline and, with Quick off his line, proceeded to lob the ball over the stranded goalkeeper and inside the far post.
Dropship stepped up their attacking efforts in a bid to get back into the tie but struggled to find a way past a determined DC defence, marshalled by skipper and man-of-the-match Ryan Caddy. David Webb shot into the side netting from a tough angle and Ryan Beer tested Davis before Fergus-Gay nodded over from six yards out.
With time running out, Dropship continued to push forward with substitute Nick Moss teeing up Kellow who nodded wide before Tyler Prescott's header was helped towards goal, but Davis dealt with it as he had with everything else as DC clinched an historic victory.
Match information
Falmouth DC: C Davis, R Chinn, B Kemp, R Caddy, C Pentecost, J Blakeston, A Lawrence, K Cooke, R Allen, B Williams, F Harris. Subs: T Clark, Q Saunder, R Webb, T Webb, L Miller.
Dropship: M Quick, R Beer, C Donlevy, J Miller, L Chinn, H Hounsome, B Kellow, P Robertson, L Jarvis, F Thomson, O Fergus-Gay. Subs: N Moss, G Gaylard, C Ferris, T Prescott, D Webb.
Referee: Adam Batchelor
Assistants: Rob Elliott; Andrew McKnight
Fourth official: Phil Cuthbert
🟥 Red card galvanised us, says victorious DC boss
By Matt Friday at Underlane
Victorious manager Tony Pentecost said receiving an early red card 'galvanised' his Falmouth DC team as they went on to lift the Cornwall Junior Cup on Sunday.
Rhys Allen was shown a straight red card just six minutes into the final at Underlane, but the Trelawny League Division 2 champions dug deep and ran out 2-0 winners thanks to goals from Ryan Chinn and Fraser Harris.
It is DC's first county title nine years after their formation in 2014, and that achievement is made all the more impressive given the side was largely assembled only last summer, with Pentecost rebuilding the side following an exodus of players at the end of last season.
“We’ve waited a long, long time for this," Pentecost told Cornwall Sports Media after the game. "What a game. Both sets of supporters were treated to a festival of football today.
"It was a great game from the neutrals’ point of view. There was something happening throughout the game: from the early sending off, penalty appeals and then us going in front, and then not just holding out for the rest of the game but still pressing forward with ten men and getting that second goal — brilliant."
Their afternoon could hardly have gotten off to a worse start, however, with Allen being sent off by referee Adam Batchelor just six minutes into the final.
With Dropship on the attack, Allen mistimed a tackle on Oscar Fergus-Gay on the edge of the DC box and brought the forward down from behind, with Batchelor brandishing a red card in his direction.
Facing the prospect of playing the remaining 84 minutes a man light, DC refused to lick their wounds and went on to claim a memorable victory, with Pentecost declaring that their early setback had spurred his team on.
“I know it’s been said before but if anything it galvanised us," he said. "We knew that we were a good side and that it’d take a very good side to beat us.
"I don’t know whether Dropship played as well as they could have today, whether nerves got to a few of their lads, but I think we carried out the game plan that I put in place for them, it just worked out well."
Chinn was the man to drive DC forward and score the game's opening goal midway through the half, only a minute or so after Kyle Cooke came within a crossbar's width of doing so himself.
One goal never felt like being enough but Harris grabbed the all-important second shortly after the turnaround with a wonderful lob from distance, and the DC man was delighted to make his mark on proceedings.
“It feels so nice to score," Harris told Cornwall Sports Media. "I’m starting in that role now where I can get forward more and the opportunity arose and I just thought, ‘Why not? Just have a shot!’
“Going down to ten men so early in the game, it’s always going to be an uphill battle isn’t it, but the players dug in and we fully deserve it.
"Credit to Dropship, they were outstanding as well but sometimes you’ve got to dig in and it was a great result in the end.
“It was perfect, it really was. Everyone put an absolute shift in and it just shows that with teamwork and determination you can win anything."
Quadruple dream still alive for DC
Their Junior Cup success secured a superb league and county cup double after DC romped to the Trelawny League Division 2 championship, winning 14 and losing just one of their 15 games to date to clinch the title with a game to spare.
They have won those games in style, too, scoring a whopping 75 goals at an average of five per game. Unsurprisingly, the team boast the division's two highest scorers, with Jack Blakeston having bagged 40 goals in 19 games in all competitions, while Brodie Kemp has a similarly stunning 29 goals from 12 outings.
DC aren't done yet either, with the possiblity of an unprecedented quadruple still looming large. The Dracaena outfit visit St Agnes thirds on May 10 in the quarter-finals of the Percy Stephens Cup (a Trelawny League-wide competition), before returning to Wendron on May 13 to face St Ives Town reserves in the final of the Lockhart Cup (for Division 2 sides).
With the Junior Cup now among their ranks and with more history in their sights, Pentecost and co have tasted success and are certainly hungry for more.
“We haven’t finished yet. That's two trophies – we’ve won our league and we’ve got a final to play in our league cup and we're in the quarter-finals of the Percy [Stephens Cup]," Pentecost added.
"We’ve still got four or five games to play so we’ll enjoy tonight and the bank holiday tomorrow and then we'll be focused on the game next Saturday.”
💔 Ashes stay in Western League after play-off heartache
Saltash United will remain in the Western League Premier Division next season after suffering a 2-0 defeat in their Inter-Step Play-Off at Bristol Manor Farm on Saturday.
Danny Lewis’ side made the trip to Bristol seven days after missing out on the Western League title on the final day of the regular league season, with their promotion fate now resting on a one-off tie against the Southern League Division One South outfit, with the winner taking — or retaining — their place at Step 4 next term.
The Portwaymen, who finished 18th in the 20-team Southern League Division One South, opened the scoring in the 34th minute at The BS3 Services Stadium through Aron Robbins’ rocket from distance, with Jayden Nielsen clinching victory just after the hour when he converted a cross at the back post.
There was better news for Cornwall Senior Cup winners Helston Athletic, who booked their place in the Les Phillips Cup final after triumphing 2-0 at Ilfracombe Town on Bank Holiday Monday. Rikki Shepherd scored both goals for the Blues, who will face either Shepton Mallet or Brislington in the final.
That came just 48 hours after winning 1-0 at Shepton Mallet in their final Western League game of the season, with Nathaniel West’s header sealing victory late on.
That defeat for The Mallet gave Falmouth Town the chance to secure seventh place if they could avoid defeat at home to Street, with Andrew Westgarth’s side duly delivering as the teams played out a goalless draw at Bickland Park.
Meanwhile, the South West Peninsula League Premier West drew to a close on Saturday with Callington Town and Mullion sharing six goals at Marshfield Park, with Noah Maund, Andre Rodukov and Jordan Stidson netting for the hosts.
💚 Argyle promoted to Championship after victory over Burton
By Colin Bradbury
As Plymouth Argyle kicked off at 3pm on Saturday, April 22, they knew that promotion would be secured if they won the three home games ahead of them in the coming eight days. Cambridge United were duly dispatched 3-1 that day and Bristol Rovers by a 2-0 margin the following Tuesday.
And so to Saturday, April 29, when an Argyle victory over Burton Albion would finish the job. Assuming that third-placed Sheffield Wednesday won their two remaining games, a draw against Burton would require the Pilgrims to take at least a point in the last game of the season at Port Vale. In the event of a loss, Argyle would need all three points next Saturday to guarantee Championship football in 2023/24.
In a twist of fate, as Argyle lined up against Burton, second-placed Ipswich faced Exeter City. Any thoughts that Argyle’s local rivals might do them a favour quickly evaporated as the Grecians shipped five goals in the first 32 minutes. And as the clock at a goalless Home Park ticked on to 45 minutes, Sheffield Wednesday were also winning, albeit by the odd goal.
At that point, the League One table showed Ipswich on 97 points, Argyle on 96 and Wednesday on 93, with the latter’s superior goal difference effectively worth an extra point over the Pilgrims.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Or men. After a first half dominated by Argyle’s free flowing, attacking football, Callum Wright picked up a rebound from a Burton Albion shot and laid it off to Danny Mayor by the centre circle. He picked out Niall Ennis just inside the Burton half, and as the Home Park favourite galloped to the edge of the penalty area, there could be only one outcome. With a deft touch inside and a left-foot drive past the visiting custodian, on the stroke of half time the diminutive number 11 had scored what will surely go down as one of the most important goals in the club’s recent history.
The second half saw a handful of opportunities for Argyle to widen the margin and a half-chance for Burton towards the end of the match, but in truth it had the feeling of ‘job done’ for the home side.
The scenes at the final whistle, amongst fans and players, said all you needed to know about a team that has been written off repeatedly by some in the national media as interlopers amongst the ‘bigger clubs’ around them at the top of the table.
In the end, it was all settled without too much drama and with a game in hand. But that has been the hallmark of Steven Schumacher’s team this season. Injuries to key personnel, the departure of a star loan player in the January window and the disappointment of a Wembley cup final defeat all proved to be just minor speedbumps on the way to the season’s big prize.
Next season will present fresh challenges as the Greens take their place among yet more ‘big clubs’ in the Championship. But you know for certain that a club that has not put a foot wrong both on and off the pitch this season is already planning for the coming campaign in English football’s second tier.
You can also be sure that Schumacher will want to silence the remaining nay-sayers by clinching the title at Port Vale on Saturday and bringing the League One trophy back to Home Park. Then, perhaps, the club from Plymouth might finally get the credit it so richly deserves.
📋 Argyle: Burton, Gillesphey, Wilson, Scarr, Butcher, Edwards, Mayor (Azaz 61), Ennis (Hardie 70), Mumba, Randell (Matete 87), C Wright (Houghton 87). Subs (unused): Parkes, Cosgrove, Lonwijk.
“To be the manager now of Argyle, and as a coach, two promotions here. It's absolutely unbelievable. It's a brilliant achievement and I'm so proud that we've managed to do it at this great club because there's no better place to be for your first job as a manager and for us to get this club back into the Championship.
“I'm just delighted. It's the best feeling ever. It doesn't get any better than that. I think, throughout the whole of the season, we've played so well. We've been so consistent. The performances at Home Park in particular have been outstanding and every single week, these players and this staff, we've given absolutely everything that we possibly could.
“They've all worked so hard to achieve this and now everybody in the stadium, everyone in the city, can go and enjoy the next few weeks, party hard, especially this weekend, and then get ready to go again on Sunday to hopefully win the league.”
Wins for Argyle and Ipswich Town yet again mean both sides are promoted with a game to spare. Victory for the Pilgrims in their curtain-closer at Port Vale this Sunday will clinch the title, but failure to do so will open the door to the Tractor Boys…
Elsewhere at Home Park:
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👀 What’s on this week
⚽️League One: Sunday, 12pm: Port Vale v Plymouth Argyle.
⚽️St Piran League East: Tuesday, 7.30pm (unless stated): Altarnun v Saltash Borough (7.15pm); Callington Town v Millbrook; Launceston v Sticker; St Austell v St Dominick. Saturday, 3pm: Saltash United v Sticker; St Mawgan v Saltash Borough.
⚽️St Piran League West: Tuesday, 6.30pm: Perranwell v Redruth United. Wednesday, 6.30pm: Falmouth Town v Mullion. Friday, 6.30pm: Falmouth Town v St Agnes.
🏆Cornwall Intermediate Cup final: Sunday, 2pm: St Dominick v Illogan RBL (at Wadebridge Town).
⚽️South West Regional Women’s Football League Premier Division: Sunday, 2pm: Liskeard Athletic v Warminster Town.
⚽️Cornwall Women’s Football League Division 1: Sunday, 2pm: Foxhole Stars v Bodmin; Helston Athletic v Mousehole.
⚽️Cornwall Women’s Football League Division 2: Sunday, 12pm (unless stated): Ludgvan v Wadebridge Town; Padstow United v Dropship (2pm); Callington Town v Wendron United (2.30pm).
See you next time!
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