The highs and lows of this season

[TimmyRaa]

I just thought id share my views on the season from my perspective (an ashes Fan)

The season started off with a lot of uncertainty. Stuart Dudley had moved on, and firstly Alan Carey was made manager, but he left/resigned barely 24 hours later. It seemed that no-one wanted the job, so Martin Burgess stepped in at the last minute to hopefully kick start the campaign. The biggest loss pre season was Gav coulton to our local rivals.

I have to say that I viewed Martin's appointment as the 'cheap option' and I viewed it as decision which lacked ambition, but how wrong could I be. Luckily the majority of the team were retained, along with a few new faces. The first league game was an 8-1 spanking of St Blazey, with 2 new signings scoring hat tricks, Jon Hoyles and The enigma that was Kelvin Fyneboy. Not much is known about Kelvin. Sometimes he was simply brilliant, and sometimes it looked like he had 2 left feet, but he was a great player to watch, you never knew what he was going to do next. Sadly the long arm of the law intervened, and he disappeared as quickly as he appeared.

The first 3rd of the season was pretty average, with losses against Ivybridge, Parkway in the cup, and Exmouth, but as the season progressed we kept racking up the point with an impressive unbeaten run. We were getting wins and draws, in games which in previous seasons, we would have drawn and lost.

Another pleasing sight was the use of the reserve team. using likes of Bayley cook, Dan Discombe etc was a positive move, Also there was a core of more experienced players that could be called upon in an emergency (Matt Parnell, Tony Bouch)

It wasn't the most successful season for the ashes in Cup competitions. We went out of the FA cup in the first round to Parkway, got apsolutely spanked in the vase by a fantastic Arlesford Town side, and went out of the Senior cup to Mousehole. Also the weather played its part in the season, culminating in having to play 5 games in 9 days. The championship decider at Parkway was a pretty one sided affair, and the tiredness showed in our players, but what a great advert for the league, with over 600 spectators.

All in all, both the players and the management team of Martin Burgess and Aaron Cusack should be really proud of themselves, and as a fan of many years, its been by far the most enjoyable season for years, and to top it all off, the conduct of the players was outstanding, with Saltash sitting at the top of the fairplay league too.

Player of the season in my eyes was either Lewis Russel or Sam Farrant.

Up the ashes!!!!

[mikesrep]

Well said Timmyrae. My first season following the Ashes but Ive been to a few games in seasos past amd have to say there was a great team spirit shown throughout this season. The old guard and new players have combined really well with no prima donnas or big egos evident. Thefinal run in has seen some amazing results particularly at Godolphin, Newquay and Camelford. It was just a pity the energy ran out against Parkway. For me Sam Hughes has been the class act but Tom Blackler deserves credit for his fantastic performance all season earning an extrodimary amount of clean sheets. Great keepers make the difference, look at Bodmim, without Miller where would they be? Martins done a fantastic job, Signing Danny Zallick was a great decision too, lets hope he can keep tje squad together for next season