Ian Pethick

Liskeard? 😀

Yes, given the ructions that this arrangement caused at the time, how many Helston players have actually played for Penzance this season?

Parkway's recent run of improved results brought to a juddering halt by a 4-0 thumping at the hands of Yate, who they now replace at the bottom of the league. Defeat away to strugglers Harrow on Saturday and it will start to feel like they are in a relegation battle.

At end of the day, below semi pro level at least, isn't "playing with your mates and having a laugh" the point of it?

Would be really interesting to have a younger player who has either walked away from, or reduced their commitment to, a Saturday club come on here and give their point of view. No offence to yourself Matt P, but I don't like things like a lack of loyalty, commitment or desire being levelled exclusively at younger people. Just as likely to find this in "older" people as well in my experience. My football daft 15 year old nephew has more external pressures in his life than I ever did (he usually spends a chunk of his Saturdays doing school coursework for example).

Perhaps the hard truth has to be faced, and we possibly accept that there are too many clubs and leagues , and just not enough players or volunteers. It can't all be down to "desire", the multiple possible social, demographic and economic reasons why people don't want to, or simply can't commit, the time has been talked around many times on here. Suspect it's not just a Cornish issue either. Fenman posted a good snapshot of what is happening in his neck of the woods, and we regularly also hear from Easterfield on the state of the Devon scene. Somebody came up with a very interesting stat on this forum a while back. They stated that the numbers of players registered (and regularly playing) in the 35 upwards cohort is actually increasing. Indicates that, for various reasons, players come back to the game as they get a bit older.

Never thought of it like that before.

Probably about par for the course for Truro. Doubt that many from Salisbury fancied making the trip down to Plymouth for the second time in 10 days or so. With Parkway, a high flying Argyle at home on the same day takes at least a couple hundred off the gate. Also, FA Trophy matches are not covered within season tickets.Just don't think the Trophy is much of a pull either, in its early stages anyway.

Interesting read. Ex Torquay, Falmouth and Saltash full back Alan Pluckrose, selects a dream team from those he has played alongside. https://kiesfootball1986.wordpress.com/2022/10/09/my-dream-team-1/

Good win for Torpoint today, corner turned? More points dropped at home though for Mousehole. Know they have games in hand, but they are starting to lag behind the promotion slots. Trundle Parc maybe not looking quite the fortress (and daunting away trip) that it used to be? Regarding the Helston comments earlier, it is their first league reverse since the opening day and is still early days for the Mat Cusack project. There will be bumps in the road. Dan Hart's Buckland do seem like a different proposition this season though. Shepton Mallet's sudden dip in form possibly gives them, and a few others, fresh impetus in the race for the top 2.

On to the next round. Confirms my belief that the FA Trophy has nothing like the allure of the FA Vase. Suspect that Lee Hobbs won't give this competitiion anything like the same level of focus that he did last season, the league (and ensuring they stay up) will be the big priority Think that Hobbs had more than one eye on the two league away trips in the next week. These will tell us a lot about where Parkway are.

Both divisions certainly very tight (6 points separating the top 7 in the west, and 5 points the difference from 1st to 5th in the east), so the remainder of the season and race for titles, promotion and top 4 in the reshuffle slots, look like they will be very exciting. Good for the league in terms of prolonged interest, but not sure what it says about the quality. Given how many teams have moved onto step 5 (and beyond) in recent years, it is probably inevitable that the standard has dropped across both divisions. Will take a few seasons of the new format, and promotions/relegation having an effect, before judgements can be reached on the playing standards of the new league.

We all know about James Lorenz and River Allen, but Ryan Downing is definitely a star in the making at Camelford. On Truro's radar, signed on for their under 18's and appeared in one or two pre season games for the first team. Outside of the top teams, I would mention Charlie Castlehouse at Dobwalls. Prolific for Parkway's under 18's (who he still plays for) and has done well stepping up to Peninsula League this season.

Difficult one. After hearing Ben Washam speak on the podcast, was very impressed by the way he spoke, what he's trying to achieve at Dobwalls and the obstacles they face. Believe that several of these young players are from the very good group of under 18's that Plymouth Parkway have (think he's close to their boss, Adam Castlehouse). Regarding the issue of resting/rotating players in favour of the league. Dobwalls would have to suffer a major collapse if they were to end up in the drop zone (more likely they would end up in the top 4 slots), and it is only a 32 game Peninsula League season. Not exactly fixture over load. Would think that they would want a decent Senior Cup run to keep the season as competitive as possible and build their profile. Good to see Blazey giving it a real go on all fronts though. As one of Cornwall's biggest and most successful clubs, they should be competing for silverware very season. And, realistically, there are only 3 competitions that give them a chance to do this.

No disgrace for Helston, they ran into a very good step 3 side. Sure that Matt Cusack would have watched this with a mixture of admiration, and seeing what lessons he could take for his own team. Steve Massey's commentary is not to my taste, I turn the volume down to enjoy the great footage that Piran Films put together.

Said this before. But have the Parkway and Truro people got their heads together and marketed this as a sort of "buy one, get one half price" offer (assuming they're allowed to)? By a match ticket for Parkway v Dorchester, and get one for Truro v Salisbury at half price. Might tempt a few more into Bolitho on Sunday afternoon.

Yes, agree. But not sure it would work in practice. One of the lessons from Sandy Park in Exeter (and other such stadiums) is that they have to be 7 day a week, 12 months of the year operations. They have a successful exhibition, convention and hospitality operation. Exeter, as an example though, is just off the M5, two hours train journey from London, near the airport and with a much larger services and knowledge based economy on their doorstep (headquarters of D&C Police, Exeter University, The Met Office, Pennon, EDF and others ) to sustain this. Not sure there would be anything like the same level of commercial activity in Cornwall (and specifically Truro) to maintain a similar level of activity in a Stadium For Cornwall.

The FA Cup dream is over for Parkway after being edged out after extra time by step 2 Oxford City. So near, yet so far after going 1-0 up in the first half through Billy Palfrey, sub Jack Crago unfortunately missed a big chance on 87 minutes to make it 2-0 . Oxford City then punished this by grabbing a stoppage time equaliser. City nosed ahead for the first time in the tie with a goal in the first half of extra time, and then grabbed a late, late third with Parkway chasing the game. Parkway can take a lot from this tie, and the confidence that they can go toe to toe with sides at this level, but the game ultimately hinged on the two key moments at either end of the pitch late in the game. Parkway didn't take their chance, Oxford City did. Very thin margins indeed. On to the FA Trophy at home against Dorchester on Saturday, but then a really big seven days next week with away matches against bottom club Yate, and struggling Harrow. Ultimately, these will be the matches that will show where Parkway is at.

Just in time for the festive season...😄

Even as far back as the early nineties, I remember Western League clubs sometimes referring to CSC games being played on Saturdays as being a bit of a nuisance. Especially if it went to a replay, and then had to be played the following Saturday. Pretty sure that there were rules in place stating that no matches could be played under floodlights (this was at a time when even major clubs such as St Austell, Torpoint and Porthleven didn't have them). The Easter Monday showpiece final was a highlight of the football season. Junior Cup Final beforehand (often played in front of large and vocal crowds from the participating sides), and then onto the main course of the Senior Cup Final.

Cannot recommend walking football highly enough. Great for exercise, fitness and the social/mental wellbeing side.

Know they always used to be on Saturdays, but certainly remember Plymouth based players getting very fired up for Cornwall Senior Cup games. Especially when it was Western League Liskeard, Saltash and Falmouth coming to town for games against SWL sides. I'm not a big fan of the new format, but thought that the presence of Western League clubs would add a bit of spice to the competition. Could have been a chance for Peninsula League Cally to catch Mousehole with their guard down.

Will Callington face further sanctions for this, can they be suspended from next season's competition?

The West Division is really tight with only 6 points separating Bude at the top, down to Dobwalls in seventh. If Bodmin can get some sort of "Bunney Hop" going (one for Westward TV viewers of a certain age) and put 4 or 5 wins together, then they could conceivably think about getting into this group. Like somebody else said though, this season has effectively gone, and is a free hit for Dane.

Weston have got ambitions well beyond the Southern League. Plans approved to redevelop and improve ground, which will be financed by the building of new apartments overlooking it. They are very well placed geographically being near Bristol, just off the M5 and M4 corridor.