Foxhole 2024-25

[Darin Morse]

Tuesday 13th August 2024

Foxhole 8 (Beresford 7, 64, Kilbey 16, Rowe 38, Bidgood 68, 84, 85, Butler 80) St Austell 0

The Foxes began life in the Premier division with a comfortable victory. A stretching Kilbey could have converted Butler's inviting centre within thirty seconds but the shot from six yards flew over. While his side appeared to settle the quicker, nonetheless Town should have gone ahead moments later when May upended Hamley, but Warrick's spot-kick to the keeper's right was well fielded. Other than a Hamley effort from an acute angle which flashed wide, the visitors did not seriously threaten again until the belated arrival of Kasonde, by which time  Foxhole had built up a substantial lead. Beresford found the net with a low drive and Kilbey cleverly touched home Preston's inswinging corner before a free-kick by Rowe, now part of an attacking midfield quintet, beat Sturdy-Dunn from thirty yards.

After surviving that early scare, the Foxes had dominated the first half and there was little discernible change after the break. Beresford volleyed home through a ruck of players after the visitors had only half cleared a corner before substitute Bidgood notched the first of his hat-trick, displaying great composure and no little skill to work an opening and curl the ball across a helpless keeper. A fine move down the right involving Preston and Dingle allowed Butler a tap in for number six, the screw being firmly turned paradoxically just after Town had begun to exert a little pressure. Bidgood's final two goals inside sixty seconds were to complete the scoring, first notching at the second attempt after being sent clear, and then guiding Peers' shot-cum-cross past Sturdy-Dunn from close-range, only an earlier goal-line clearance from Trudgeon having prevented his fourth.

Foxhole (3-5-2): Stewart May; Lee Rickard, Luke Damerell, Keiran Barrett; Zach Smith-Brokenshire, Andrew Butler, Courtney Rowe, Lucas Preston, Aaron Beresford; Benno Bould, Chris Kilbey. Subs: Cam Bidgood, Jowan Dingle, Jake Couch, Tim Peers, Levi Kerrigan.

St Austell: Jake Sturdy-Dunn, Sam Trudgeon, Tom Chambers, Keiran Warrick, Jack Cawrse, Tom Rowland, Jack Bragg, Haiden Cawrse, Alex Hamley, Jamie Gilbert, Tom Rawlings. Subs: Tarun Rowland, Josh Jacobs, Innocent Kasonde, Aaron Bevan, Oleksandr Bradbury.

Well played the super Foxes. Good luck to Town. Many thanks to Sam Doble and James Hutchings.

[Darin Morse]

Saturday 17th August 2024

Foxhole 3 (Butler 1, 44, Preston 31) Polperro 2 (Lane 23, Powell 35)

Once Butler had beaten O'Melia at his near post inside fifty-five seconds, the Foxes were to have much the better of the first half but were only able to convert two of the numerous further chances they created while twice allowing their lively opponents to equalise. Against the run of play Spence's deep cross from the right was expertly headed past debutant Robathan by Lane only for Preston to find the net from a free-kick awarded inside the box for dissent. Another centre from Spence was then slammed home by Powell as Polperro found themselves level despite having been largely over-run, largely due to some fine goalkeeping. Parity only lasted a few minutes, however, as Preston's cross was brilliantly nodded past O'Melia by Butler. 

The second half proved much tighter. Polperro switched to defending deeper and in greater numbers so, while Foxhole still enjoyed more of the ball, they found it far more difficult to pierce a resolute backline. It was certainly not for the want of trying, as the home team continued to play the ball around nicely, constantly probing away and, led by the outstanding Barrett and aided by their strong bench, were successfully able to thwart the visitors with minimal frights when caution was thrown to the wind late on.

Foxhole (3-5-2): Adam Robathan; Luke Damerell, Keiran Barrett, Zach Smith-Brokenshire; Andrew Butler, Tim Peers, Jake Couch, Lucas Preston, Aaron Beresford; Chris Kilbey, Cam Bidgood. Subs: Aidan Dingle, Jowan Dingle, Benno Bould, Courtney Rowe, Levi Kerrigan.

Polperro (4-3-3): Jack O'Melia; Danny Keating, Dave Gilbert, Mark Eldershaw, Jay Gilbert; Joe Jackman, Tim Ryan, Tom Whitebrook; Sam Lane, Ethan Powell, Robbie Spence. Subs: Jacob Owen, Tommy Davies, Louie Webb, Harry Taylor.

Well played the super Foxes. Good luck to Polperro. Many thanks to Ashley Morris and the visiting linos.

 

 

[Darin Morse]

Saturday 24^th August 2024

St Dominick 2 (Jasper 57, 78) Foxhole 2 (Preston 48, Beresford 65)

 

The Foxes, who were ahead twice, had to settle for a point despite a great display at wind-swept Lovells. The first half offered little in goalmouth incident with both defences looking assured. Although St Dominick had the better of the early exchanges, Robathan remained untested, while Blatchford had to be alert at the feet of Beresford, Bould's thunderous follow-up being brilliantly headed off his own line by Sanders. St Dominick's main threat came from marauding right wing-back Patterson, who his side constantly tried to feed with long balls, but once Foxhole came to terms with that tactic, the gradual improvement in their more intricate approach bode well as the teams changed ends.

 

Sure enough, it wasn't long before Preston latched on to Butler's pass to find the net, Bidgood almost doubling the lead moments later, only for his drive to cannon back off the bar. Blatchford then denied Bould, Beresford and debutant Rowland in quick succession with fine saves, the inability to press home the advantage when on top ultimately proving crucial. Out of nowhere Pengelly's near-post corner was headed in by Jasper from a yard but the away team still looked the more likely and it was no surprise when patience around the box was rewarded by Beresford's accomplished finish from Kilbey's astute pass for his third of the season. St Dominick, though, are not the champions for nothing and roared back, Walker equalising with a screamer, but they were as mystified as everybody else when Bould's header from Butler's centre was chalked off for an alleged foul on Blatchford.

 

Foxhole (4-3-3): Adam Robathan; Andrew Butler, Lee Reed-Bennett, Luke Damerell, Keiran Barrett; Aaron Beresford, Tom Rowland, Levi Kerrigan; Lucas Preston, Cam Bidgood, Benno Bould. Subs: Aidan Dingle, Chris Kilbey, Jake Couch, Owen Curtis.

 

St Dominick: Jamie Blatchford, Adam Patterson, Oliver Sanders, Liam Hunn, Kieran Searle, Francis Pengelly, Callum Searle, Taylor Gerry, Steven Nicholls, Joe Dobby, Kieren Jasper. Subs: Alfie Cloke, Dylan Walker, James Pascoe, Lewis Whittaker.

 

Well played the super Foxes. Good luck to St Dominick. Many thanks to Ashley Morris and the home lino.

 

 

[Darin Morse]

Tuesday 27th August 2024

Foxhole 2 (Bould 23, Bidgood 35) St Mawgan 3 (Rockey 6, Allen 14, 54)

Foxhole were made to pay for early defensive uncertainty, but in truth the victory was deserved as St Mawgan looked keener, were on the front foot for much of the game and possessed the bigger threat. It started to go wrong within ninety seconds when Rickard limped off, Rowland joining Damerell at the heart of a defence already missing Stone, Coates and Barrett, and it wasn't long before Tilston's fine cross from the left was nodded in by Rockey. Allen, who selflessly never stopped chasing and running forward all game while nevertheless habitually managing to stay onside, then capitalised on overplaying to lob a stranded Robathan. The Foxes had put little together, but Bould was again unlucky to be denied when his header was thwarted by an offside call from whoever fancied taking the flag for ten minutes. This prompted the home side's best spell as the Saints suddenly looked vulnerable themselves, Bould soon pouncing on stand-in keeper Prentice's fumble from Bidgood's effort to force home from a yard before Bidgood himself equalised, heading in Preston's centre at the far post.

St Mawgan regained the initiative from the start of the second half and almost stretched their lead when Tilston's drive from Buckley's inviting centre crashed against the upright. Although Bidgood saw a good chance cleared off his own line by Morrison, too much of the action occurred at the other end and Allen's opportunist close-range finish, after Ciarleglio's dangerous cross had not been dealt with, had been coming. Lots of time still remained and the Foxes tried everything to get back on terms, knocking the ball around nicely at times, but they were unable to find another way past Prentice, who brilliantly pushed aside Preston's thunderbolt but who was, alas, otherwise untested. The best opportunity fell to Bould but he was unable to convert Bidgood's centre, his header drifting harmlessly wide. With eighty minutes on the clock, Patient saw red for a lunge that Damerell did extremely well to hurdle, but the visitors successfully dug in with few scares in the gloomy darkness.

Foxhole (4-3-3): Adam Robathan; Andrew Butler, Zach Smith-Brokenshire, Luke Damerell, Lee Rickard; Aaron Beresford, Tom Rowland, Levi Kerrigan; Lucas Preston, Cam Bidgood, Benno Bould. Subs: Jake Couch, Jowan Dingle, Chris Kilbey, Jake Couch, Courtney Rowe.

St Mawgan: Brett Prentice, Oliver Morrison, Alex Bicknell, Marco Ciarceglio, Aaron Hawken, Tom Barnett, Aaron Rockey, Jamie Patient, Jack Scott, Harrie Tilston, Craig Allen. Subs: Dan Ball, Kieran Buckley, Jack Clarke, Jack Piper, Sam West.

Well played the super Foxes. Good luck to St Mawgan. Many thanks to James Long and the five or six visiting linos / subs (not a great look for the Premier division).

 

[Darin Morse]

Saturday 31st August 2024

Saltash Borough 4 (McCarthy 3, pen 57, Soper 35, Alford 59) Foxhole 0

This was far from the thrashing the scoreline would indicate as Foxhole, in arguably their best display of the season, more than matched the unbeaten league leaders on their plastic pitch. Crucially, however, Borough were heaps more clinical in front of goal, exemplified by their opener inside four minutes when the speedy Soper rounded Barrett before crossing into the corridor of uncertainty. McCarthy could hardly miss from two yards and he, his provider and the diminutive Alford were to prove a threat on the break throughout the first half. Despite that early setback the visitors, kicking in to a fierce breeze, settled to pass the ball around nicely only for many moves to break down in a final third heavily populated by a side seemingly content to sit deep, perhaps aware the Foxes' attack did not possess quite the same zip as their own. The best chance fell to Bidgood who was released following one of several fine moves but Westall spread himself well. Borough then snatched a second against the run of play when Alford refused to give up a lost cause before laying the ball into the path of the onrushing Soper, whose first time effort found the top corner. Rowland's right-footed drive from distance in the half's final moments which was somewhat fortunately tipped on to an upright nevertheless seemed to suggest the destination of the points had not yet been determined.

Regrettably, by the hour mark, it surely had. The away side had looked to make inroads into the deficit with the wind now in their favour and went close when Kilbey fired narrowly wide at the near post. However, in a rare home sortie, Couch upended McCarthy, who picked himself up to beat Robathan from the spot. Within moments, Alford had struck again, racing clear down the right to finish with aplomb. There was never four goals in it so it was a bitter pill to swallow, even more so when the Foxes spent virtually the whole of the last thirty minutes virtually camped in their opponents' half. Despite continuing to habitually find a teammate with incisive passes, though, clear cut chances remained at a premium as the home rearguard held fast, their determination to maintain a clean sheet perhaps warranting the good fortune they enjoyed as half chances went begging. Nonetheless, Foxhole will know they are likely to play much worse this season, and win.

Foxhole (3-5-2): Adam Robathan; Keiran Barrett, Jake Couch, Luke Damerell; Jowan Dingle, Andrew Butler, Aaron Beresford, Tom Rowland, Tim Peers; Cam Bidgood, Chris Kilbey. Subs: Courtney Rowe, Levi Kerrigan, Aidan Dingle.

Saltash Borough: Matt Westall; Jordan Bunworth, Sonny Casson, George Duff, Cam Dymond, George Frazer, Mike Hambly, Tarran Hames, Shay McCarthy, Dan Alford, George Soper. Subs: Ricardo Kennedy, Ben Kerswell, Kieran McCann, Dan Woodley.

Well played the super Foxes. Good luck to Borough. Many thanks to Dave Green and the home lino.

 

[Darin Morse]

Saturday 7th September 2024

Foxhole 2 (Kilbey 17, Damerell 63) North Petherwin 3 (Pengelly 31, Smith 49, 52)

It's one point from twelve for the Foxes as, despite having plenty of the ball, they were again unable to break down a strong defence often enough to offset the goals they conceded (fourteen now in their last five matches). Things looked good when Kilbey put them ahead from close range early on following great work from Barrett and Bidgood, but the visitors' speedy attack had looked dangerous from the start and it was no real shock when the willing Pengelly, who had caused problems a fortnight ago with his enthusiasm and trickery when wearing the yellow of St Dominick, returned to haunt us again by turning inside Barrett before firing inside Prynn's near post from twenty five yards.

While honours even at half time was about right Petherwin resumed their stride far quicker notching two goals inside seven minutes with the sort of pacy and incisive attacking that Foxhole were sadly unable to replicate. The outstanding Stainer's ball released Smith down the visiting left to shoot across Prynn before the same player latched on to Rowland's assist on the other wing to finish expertly. Smith should have completed a quickfire hat-trick but his first-time effort struck a post; within seconds Damerell had reduced the arrears, heading home high into an empty net after Rowe had tipped Butler's free-kick from deep onto the bar. Although the Foxes tried all they knew to snatch a point, even throwing Barrett forward as an auxiliary striker, there were few alarms for the away side who managed their lead relatively comfortably with the simple tactic of denying space in their own final third.

Foxhole (3-5-2): James Prynn; Keiran Barrett, Joe Stone, Luke Damerell; Cam Bidgood, Andrew Butler, Aaron Beresford, Tom Rowland, Zach Smith-Brokenshire; Chris Kilbey, Courtney Rowe. Subs: Levi Kerrigan, Aidan Dingle.

Gunnislake: Ty Rowe; Billy Sims, Ryan Hancock, Matt Stainer, Ben Sims, Tom Ellacott, Owen Pennington, Finn Reeve, Sonny Smith, Alfie Rowland, Francis Pengelly. Subs: Josh Sanders,  Brandon Stott, Lewis Halliday.

Well played the super Foxes. Good luck to North Petherwin. Many thanks to Simon Long and the visiting lino.

 

[Darin Morse]

Saturday 14th September 2024

Gunnislake 0 Foxhole 2 (Kilbey 22, 42, Bidgood 33, 43, Rowe 41)

Depleted Foxhole impressively registered their first win in five after capitalising on some generous defending at sunny Butts Meadow. The home team looked lively early on without extending Prynn who was well served throughout by his back four. The best opportunity fell to centre-forward Pearse who was unable to convert from close range following a mix-up between the keeper and Rickard. At the other end the Foxes began to repeatedly cut through a shaky looking defence with clever interplay by their hardworking midfield trio before realising Gunnislake had no answer to a more direct approach. Consequently Prynn would be able to claim assists on three of the first four goals; first, his long ball found Bidgood whose effort was saved only for Kilbey to react quickest to net the rebound before another huge pass released Rowe to twist and turn on the edge of the box and fire left-footed into the corner. That made it three-nil; inbetween, Damerell's forty-yard pass had been brilliantly converted by Bidgood. Prynn soon completed his unlikely hat-trick when his drop-kick was helped on past statuesque defenders by Rowe for Kilbey to easily lob home. There was still time before the break for Bidgood to notch the fifth, following up Beresford's initial attempt. The visitors had effectively already sealed the victory with a run of three goals inside 120 seconds, which somewhat eased their frustration of having consistently fallen foul of the offside flag.

The second half was anti-climactic in comparison. After they had had two goals disallowed within three minutes of the restart, for pushing by Stone and for yet another offside call, the foot was rather taken off the pedal in the September heat allowing Gunnislake to enjoy some decent possession. Realistically, however, there was never any chance of the mother of all comebacks, Foxhole doing enough to preserve a rare clean sheet. 

Foxhole (4-3-3): James Prynn; Tim Peers, Luke Damerell, Joe Stone, Lee Rickard; Aaron Beresford, Tom Rowland, Levi Kerrigan; Chris Kilbey, Courtney Rowe, Cam Bidgood. Subs: Lucas Preston, Josh Small.

Gunnislake: Ben Backway, Louis Body, Matt Borbon, Fletcher Cook, Jamie Court, Mitchell Cowley, Mathew Davidson, Fynn Hall, Andrew Livingstone, Ben Pearse, Phil Wearing. Subs: Tom Dixon, Alex Lowe, Aaron Varcoe, Tug Walkey, Josh Downing-Hewes.

Well played the super Foxes. Good luck to Gunnislake. Many thanks to Chris Sillifant and the home lino.

Next up....Sat 21st Sept Saltash away 2pm