MATCH REPORTS ONLY - Saturday 8 February 2020

[Dave Deacon]

Let's see if we can have a thread about today's games...………..I'll kick off:-

Falmouth Town 0, Saltash United 2 (Hughes 51, 76)

So the Ashes got revenge for losing last season's Senior Cup final and now await the semi-final draw which is dominated by south-east Cornwall clubs with Millbrook and Torpoint joining them along with Wadebridge.

Sam Hughes scored two second-half goals. His first came from an inswinging corner which Town failed to get away and Hughes was there in a crowded six-yard box to swing at it and get the all-important touch for the ball to hit the roof of the net. To be honest it was nothing more than Saltash deserved with Falmouth looking, for most of the game, to counter attack through Luke Brabyn and Olly Walker. There was a couple breaks in the first-half where Walker got through on their right, but either his final ball wasn't quite good enough, or there was no one in the box.

Sam's second was a slick passing move forward involving Sam Farrant and Ryan Richards and himself. The striker got the ball back off Farrant and gave Falmouth's 'keeper Ryan Barnes no chance from about 16 yards out. 

For the neutral, as hoped, Town applied more sustained pressure for the last ten minutes or so, but Saltash 'keeper Ryan Rickard was always there to ensure the home side failed to score at Bickland for only the second time this season (the opening game of the season).

Falmouth yellow cards - Brabyn and Broglino

Saltash yellows - Farrant, Lewis, Cleary, Martindale (2 yellows and red so off after 83 mins)

I'm pretty certain all the yellows were for fouls apart from the Shaun Cleary one which was for kicking the ball away. It proved to be one of those games where once the ref showed the first yellow (32 mins), he at least remained consistent by continuing to do so!

 

[Jeff Chambers]

The best team won yesterday. Saltash's defence coped with everything we chucked at them, we just couldn't find a way through. A little disappointed we were without Jono & Buchs. Their pace and tenacity up front would have been really helpful. Whether it would have affected the result, probably not, but it would have given us more presence in attack.

Cracking attendance of 425 and the F-Troop sang all the game (25 different songs..not 4 as I read on a previous comment) Chant of the day " We'll sing it till May, We'll sing it till

May...Champions of Cornwall, We'll sing it till May" . (I think the CSC final is actually in April but April didn't rhyme lol)

We showed our love and respect to our mate Malcom "Peewee" Mclean" who passed last week. Peewee will be really missed as will John "Turks" Martin. God bless them both. 

For us now, we are still in the Walter C Parsons cup and the Charity cup, plus we want to finish as high as we can in the league so we have plenty to play for this season.

Its always disappointing losing a big game,  but sometimes you have got to applaud the opposition and we clapped the Saltash Utd players off at the end because they played really well.

Bickland Park is a tough place to come these days and Saltash came and did the business. 

Good luck to them in the next round.

UTT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Uwdi Krugg]

Millbrook 2 Liskeard Athletic 0

Head count: 38 (including a few behind the wire fence who wouldn't pay in).

A truly atrocious match on an appalling uneven pitch ( bobble factor 10/10).

Oh how I wish I'd gone somewhere else.

The accumulated stench of local rubbish fires was a fitting accompaniment to this pitiful cup tie.

Passing was almost impossible on the awfully uneven surface which severely affected Liskeard getting into the game. They valiantly attempted to play out from the back and knock the ball about but just minutes into the proceedings it became obvious such footballing objectives were practically unachievable.

Millbrook adopted a scramble, hoof and chase approach which seemed to fit the environment far more beneficially. Their fitting approach was laced with some rather dramatic play acting with a couple of their younger players spending much of the afternoon chucking themselves on the floor (probable victims of watching too many new-age footballers on Sky Sports Super Sunday).

The referee did his best to apply a degree of control but inevitably Liskeard fell into the trap and a wave of dubious yellow cards, sin binning and a sending off followed. It was quite ironic that the chap who just about squeezed home Millbrooks second half penalty would have been a worthy entry at the recent BAFTA awards, an enthralling afternoon performance of non league 'falling over'.

Don't think I'll be tempted back to the Millbrook experience anytime soon. After telling it like it is they probably wouldn't welcome me anyway.

Genuinely thankful to get back in the Match Shed and trundle back home.

Terrible game to choose. Especially on Quarter Finals day.

 

[Dave Deacon]

Forgot to praise the groundsman at Falmouth. Amazing recovery from previous match I attended and certainly meant for a better game. 👍.

 

[Dave Deacon]

Match reports only on this thread - can still post general response comments  on 

 

[Bobjfh]

Camelford 2-4 Porthleven

Having bestowed credit to the Canels in recent games for their attractive football - yesterday was awful, one/two players having a poor game is understandable, especially on a very bobbly pitch in strong winds, but not 4/5 especially when they are defenders - misjudging balls in the air, poor decision making and trying to play long balls from the back without accuracy - Reg will not be happy. 

Camels were 2-0 down within 4 minutes! A picked up back pass (not sure it was a back pass as was from a 50/50 challenge but the ref never said it could be picked up so shouldn’t have been) in the 6yd box resulting in a free tick that was squeezed in and from the restart a hopeful long ball caught the defence asleep and the keeper came for the ball he wasn’t going to get allowing Porthleven to stroke home into an empty net. 
The game then settled a bit and Camels controlled the mid field and played some decent football - scoring two back before HT (Ed and I think Matt) both through doing what they do well with nice interchanges in the middle and no long balls. Porthleven stuck to playing wide and did cause a few problems. 
Second half saw Camels dominate for large parts of the game but Porthleven caught them several times with nice wide play and scored again from poor defensive work with a cross into the box seeing three unmarked Porthleven players on the edge the of the six yard box - just way to easy for a tap in. Camels pushed and probably should have equalised but for wayward finishing and decision making and Porthleven scored very late on with a break away. 

For me, Porthleven are an average team (couple of very good players) but on the day played the conditions better and showed a real desire and were deserved winners. Camels need to go back to what they do well - win or lose and that is play through their middle three - without a target man striker their goals come the middle. 
Thought the ref and officials were okay and the ground staff did their best but the weather and a few recent games has made it hard to maintain their excellent playing surface. 

On to Saltash next week. 

[hoppit]

Watched Camels and Port I get so frustrated with the passing and lack of football intelligence. Matt Andrew and Ed Harrison in the Camels midfield work so hard winning the ball and making space  looking to pass only to find nobody moving in to position to receive the ball so have to turn back and look for someone deeper. Some of the Camels passing was atrocious,one player was in ten yards  of space and managed  to pass the ball into touch. Unbelievable Jeff. Port deserved their win but Camels have tougher tests to come starting with Saltash next week.