Ian Pethick

Pint for £6, or you could go for the 4 Pint Deal and have it for £7. (Taken at Windsor Park, Belfast).

3rd highest Southern League Prem South gate of the season behind previous crowds of 1296 at Merthyr and 1365 for Totton. Parkway's record attendance for a competitive home match is 1362 v Cinderford in April 2022.

Ryan Richards is on fire.

If both sides are locked together on points, goal difference and goals scored, does it come down to a game of "rock, paper,scissors" between Jeff Chambers and Le Boss?

You get results like this which makes you think that The Ashes turned the corner, never quite seems to happen though.

The last 3 completed Western League Prem seasons have served up final day title dramas. Shaping up for more of the same this time around.

Do the same with the Southern League Prem, reduce it to a 20 team league with a 38 game season. I'm sure that the teams who don't have problems getting matches played won't like the loss of revenue from fewer home games though.

Some are better than others, and they still require a large amount of housekeeping and maintenance (didn't realise that they can still freeze for example). Notice as well that Dorking Wanderers are considering ripping their 3G surface up due to them believing that it's causing long term injuries to players. Then there's the cost of installing them, and the usual lifespan of around 7 years (so I've read). Given the chaos that we're now experiencing, it may well be the only way to guarantee seasons get completed in reasonable manner for some leagues though. Would make sense. Right on the A30, not far off the A38 and an hour or so from Exeter and the M5.

St Austell have announced the installation of a 3G surface as part of the Poltair upgrade project, but I haven't seen anything regarding timelines. Wouldn't think that the ground facilities will be National League/Southern Prem compliant either. You're right, needs the CCFA to step up here. That would then probably unlock potential FA, Sport England and Lottery funding.

Given the demand for step 2/3 graded 3G pitches/grounds in the SW now (and probably into the future as well), wonder if Truro wish they were installing one at the new Langarth facility? Could have been very lucrative for them in the years to come.

Pretty sure that you cannot start a National League season in admistration (punishable by automatic relegation).

Great away win for City in front of a crowd of over 2000 at St Albans. Chance on Tuesday night to open up a gap of 7 points on opponents Eastbourne. Already seems unlikely it will get played though (unless alternative arrangements are being made of course). After their defeat away at Tonbridge yesterday, it's starting to look like we'll get the unthinkable and Torquay are playing Southern League football next season.

It was mentioned on the podcast this week about whether it's an option for both Parkway and Truro to play "behind closed doors" (no spectators) on a non step 2/3 ground graded 3G surface. The general consensus is ,"no idea, we're in uncharted territory here."

Was a shock when the change was made, not least for Matt Cusack to judge from his reaction. He was though a highly rated manager at Saltash before he dropped down a position at Parkway (which surprised me), so he was never going to stay "second fiddle" for too long and was always likely to return to a managerial position. He has certainly impressed at Helston, and I would have him down as a future Parkway boss (should the position become available).

Really desperate now. I make it 17 games in the 39 days remaining of the league season (including fixture for Tues 19th March). The weather forecast for Plymouth next week only has 1 dry day, but fingers crossed that they can get the game on for the visit of Winchester on Thursday.

Under pressure might be too strong, but as a high profile manager at the second ranked non league club in Devon after Torquay and the second biggest club in the biggest city in the county, he should be under scrutiny (the same should also apply to Paul Wotton at Truro). You would hope that he has a relationship with the chair and board in that he is scrutinised, questioned and challenged on his decisions and performance. Lee Hobbs has done a remarkable job in taking Plymouth Parkway from midtable in the Peninsula League when he was appointed at the end of the 2016/17 season, to the Southern Prem today, but he shouldn't feel (and I wouldn't think he does) that it's his job for as long as he wants it. You would hope that the board do have other names in mind should they consider a change is needed. Both seasons in the Southern Prem so far have followed a similar pattern. A slow to difficult start followed by major changes to personnel and playing style, followed by a strong run in form and, what looks like will happen this time around as well, a slump in results at the end. Last season was probably because of a weather induced fixture pile up, this season? Well, the less said the better on the current predicament. Before the current chaos hit, Parkway were on a very strong run and beating play off and promotion contenders on the way (often quite comfortably). Indeed, they did look possibilities for a tilt at the play offs themselves before it all came to a grinding halt. You have to ask the question though of what could have been were it not for the appalling start? Players such as Oscar Halls (on loan), Cameron Sangster,Adam Parkes and Shane White have proved to be very good signings and stabilised the squad, but the poor standard of the summer recruiting should not be forgotten. 5 out of the 6 had departed by December and I just wonder what exactly the thought process was behind signing Cory Harvey (a keeper that clubs at Peninsula and Western league level had replaced) and bringing back Adam Carter for the umpteenth time (someone who was considered to be not up to this level 2 years ago). That's where I would hope for some scrutiny and questioning at board level. I think the priority for this season is now probably securing step 3 football for 2024/25, but it will be interesting to see where the Lee Hobbs/Parkway story goes after that. Does mid table Southern Prem fit Mark Russell's vision for the club and, if not, will the undoubted extra ££££ money needed to bridge the gap to the play off promotion contenders be available to the manager? There are undoubtedly gaps in the current squad both in terms of quality (especially in the forward area) and depth (still unable to fill the bench on occasions), but none of this comes cheap. Hopefully as well, after the Bolitho pitch gets a summer of rest and repair, and saying goodbye to the tenants, the pitch ceases to be an issue and Parkway get certainty regarding a reasonably scheduled fixture list with pitch inspections, postponements and rescheduling getting back to normal and manageable levels. These are my honest thoughts and appraisal of the situation, and I realise some of this will not sit well with some Parkway folk.

That's a shame. Hope you reconsider.

Reg Hambly keeps finding these players. Camelford are top half of the table, and still competitive.

Hopefully both sides get promoted into the Southern League Div 1 next season, and this rivalry can continue (perhaps dialled down a bit though) and where they can also resume acquaintances with Mousehole. Something to look forward to.

Taunton almost, almost got a home match played last night. Game v Weston was on at 1pm, and then off by 5.25pm. Truro due to be "home" to Eastbourne on Tuesday night (19th March). The usual "will they, won't they and where" coming up? No home matches scheduled for Gloucester City next midweek.... (Now just the 18 home games for City and Taunton in the remaining 35 days of the NLS season).

Take a deep breath gents.

I wonder how much stick Austen Booth got from the Taunton fans last night during their 3 nil win over the Gulls. He got dragged off after about 60 mins (assuming he wasn't injured).

I was at the game. To be honest, you would have struggled to put together much of a highlights package. The occasion and atmosphere, not what either side produced on the pitch, will linger most in the memory.

We'll find out next season. Sounds like Truro City will have a state of the art, Football League spec, pitch at Langarth. Could be handy as a temporary ground share option should the need arise... 🙄

It is depressing, but I really don't know what else Parkway could do. Bolitho Park pitch is obviously in no state to play tomorrow evening, and hasn't been used since the 30th January (6 weeks ago). Just need to get this wretched season finished somehow, and start again for 2024/25.