Ian Pethick

Falmouth Town's and Liskeard's journeys back were both built on a local manager, and with a nucleus of local players. Been a long road, but look where they are now. I have no idea of how this strategy will work out at Bodmin, or how long it will take, but it's pretty clear that the previous one wasn't working. Comes to a point where you have to do something different.

Doubt Jake Mead-Crebbin will be without a starting spot for too long (even if it is away from The Ashes). Another excellent young step 5 keeper, seems to be lot of them around at the moment. Speaking of which, notice that Andy Collings appears to be out of favour at Buckand. Tyler Coombes was between the sticks for them yesterday.

See that Buckland's Director Of Football, Adam Castle, made the trip over from Ireland for this one. Good game for Dan Hart to win.

Guessing Bodmin.

Sounds like Parkway were unlucky not to take all 3 points in South Wales against high flying Merthyr. Jack Crago's 2nd half equaliser not enough to lift them out of the bottom 4 though.

Can now see why you sounded a bit down and distracted during the end of your time at Bodmin. Sure I join everybody on this forum Dane in sending our best wishes, and hoping you're back on peak form soon.

Out of all the cups now (barring the St Lukes) possibly made a calculation about not needing to carry the 18 players that they had prior to the Totton game last week. Cairo needs playing time (see that he had featured for Torpoint on a couple occasions this season), so it could be a good move for him. Wonder if one of the conditions on him going out on loan is that he starts games, and if he can be recalled early should he be needed back at Bolitho.

Green shoots there for Tavi. Pretty tight league with only 6 points separating 3rd placed Mousehole from yourselves and Paulton in 11th place. Could fly up the table pretty quickly if the unbeaten run can be kept going. Very tough looking trip to 2nd placed Merthyr tomorrow for Parkway, but the sort of games where they have picked up results before (won 1-0 up there on a winter's Tuesday night last season).

Sad news. The words "great" and "legend" are used too often in football, but Martyn Rogers was both of these at Tiverton. Do wonder if this spell at the club (his 3rd I think?) was ever a good idea, but I understand the reasons why he went back. Sacking him does seem to be a real indignity, and will probably do little to improve the mood of the supporters regarding the way the new committee are running the club. Read this piece a few days ago where he talked about the problems he has had at Tivvy in recruiting players, both through the heavy concentration of NLS clubs in the area now and their reduced budget through long standing backers pulling out. https://www.devonlive.com/sport/sport-opinion/torquays-fall-national-league-south-8821558

Would be great to see those sides in the Senior Cup, but why should they be instead of any step 4 (and above) sides and not as well as? Seems the Cornish FA are missing a trick, and not best using what they have, by not having all the top tier clubs in their blue riband competition. Surely it would only be enhanced by the likes of Mousehole playing an away tie at Gala Parc against Porthleven (for example).

Does anybody with an insight into the current thinking of the Cornish FA know if this is being looked at? Potentially losing Falmouth or Helston (both even) from the competition next season must surely be focusing minds.

Elburton Villa was a rumour that I heard. Newly ambitious it seems or, in other words, have money to chuck around. Already have former Ashes team mates Danny Lewis and Sam Hughes at the club.

Don't think he started last Saturday. Came on as sub before he got first use of the showers.

Could go higher with Barnstaple. Unbeaten, 4 points behind the leaders, and a game in hand.

I know that Buckland stated back in the summer that the intention was to use this season as a springboard, and to have a real crack at the title in 2024/25. The concern is that non league football rarely respects these plans, Saltash are an example of that (admittedly, Buckland are built on much stronger foundations). The danger is that, as ever, rivals sweep past you. With approaching a 3rd of the WLP season played for most clubs, it is clear that the race for the title and play off places is going to be very interesting. A gap of just 6 points divides leaders Falmouth and 8th place Buckland, and there are some clubs with pretty big budgets and followings in place (the recent signings by Barnstaple and Bridgwater emphasise this).

We'll never find out what exactly went on the negotiations between Oscar Massey and Falmouth, and what else was said or promised in selling the move to him, but he's clearly an ambitious and exciting Cornish born prospect who has started very well at Barnstaple. Good luck to him in progressing back towards league football, after getting released by both Argyle and Swindon (and not doing too much in his loan spells at Parkway and Tavi) a spell at Penzance has quite clearly given him his mojo back. If he keeps scoring at Barum, then bigger clubs will notice him. Everybody wants a goal scorer.

Oh how Buckland supporters must get fed up with hearing that comment. 8th in the table with almost a 3rd of the league fixtures played is definitely not where they (or anybody else)expected them to be. The promotion play off system that is in place this season does given them a route back though. Wonder if Dan Hart is fearing a phone call from their trigger happy director of football?

Perhaps the traditional Easter Monday final needs to be looked at, this is a major prohibitive factor in getting the National and Southern League teams involved (this day always has league games scheduled). Know that many people will object strongly as it has always been seen as a showpiece event in the county but, in my opinion, a large part of that was lost when the Junior Cup final ceased to be the curtain raiser.

Shows that there is still an appetite for County Cup football as well, still think that the Cornish FA have missed a major opportunity by not having the county's step 2 and 4 sides involved in the Senior Cup. Would certainly give the competition some added spice. Needs looking at, you could well have Helston or Falmouth (or even both, and let's not forget Torpoint in all of this) playing at step 4 next season and, as it stands, not eligible. Falmouth v Mousehole , for example, midweek under the Bickland Park floodlights . A cup tie to savour and you could well get a crowd approaching 1,000. Something to ponder I guess.

Looking forward to getting hold of a copy of Rappo's book, sure a biography of Tommy Matthews will also make a great read. Made me think about all the other stories there are regarding individuals and clubs within Cornish football, the worry is that we are now losing the people who could help to tell these. One obvious book that would make a great (and probably alarming) read would be an account of the Kevin Heaney Truro City years from the various insiders including supporters, club officers, various managers and players . From mid table in the South Western League to FA Vase glory at Wembley, multiple promotions and dreams of professional football and new stadiums, to winding up orders and administration all within 8 seasons. It would make quite a story.

First half penalty from Shane White gained an excellent Tuesday night road trip point for Parkway. Sounded like they were under pressure for most of the second half, and come away with a draw from a game that they might well have capitulated in a couple of months ago.

They're a bit like the Freemasons.

See he grabbed a second half hat trick for Bideford last Saturday, good to see he's back and firing again after a couple of injury blighted seasons. May be an option for Falmouth next season if they manage to get promoted, but would think he'll catch the eye of step 3 clubs if he keeps scoring. Not many goal scorers around at that level, and everybody wants them.

Looks like a cup tie to look forward to, which isn't often said regarding St Lukes matches (must of the time they feel like an inconvenience). Lance Bailey was a cult hero for myself and The Bald One at Parkway, a very underrated member of the 2013/14 treble winning side and one of the nicest blokes on the scene (always up for a chat, and had the ability to take the piss out of himself on occasions). Glad to see he's doing so well in his first joint managerial role at a step 6 club.

Things starting to turn around at Tavi. A trip to Exmouth is always a hard game, but they're second bottom and look like they have a few problems themselves. A lot of similarities to Stuart Henderson's side in that it has been a few seasons of continuous upward progress under a long term manager, also a group of players that have been together for a long time with a few of them possibly reaching the end of the road.