ALL THE RESULTS FOR THE EASTER WEEKEND - 27 March to Apr 1 2024

[Dave Deacon]

PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH

THURSDAY 28 MARCH 2024    

Walton & Hersham    4-4    Harrow Borough

 

GOOD FRIDAY 29 MARCH 2024

Basingstoke Town    3-0     Gosport Borough

Chesham United     1-0      Hayes & Yeading United

Hungerford Town     3-1      Bracknell Town

Poole Town     0-0     AFC Totton

 

SATURDAY 30 MARCH 2024

Hanwell Town     2-0    Didcot Town

Hendon     4-5     Beaconsfield Town

Sholing     1-1     Plymouth Parkway

Swindon Supermarine     3-3     Salisbury

Tiverton Town     2-0     Merthyr Town

Winchester City     1-1     Dorchester Town

 

EASTER MONDAY - 01 AprIL 2024

AFC Totton     3-0    Walton & Hersham

Bracknell Town     5-1     Sholing

Didcot Town     0-2     Swindon Supermarine

Dorchester Town     2-1      Tiverton Town

Gosport Borough     2-1     Winchester City

Harrow Borough     1-4     Chesham United

Hayes & Yeading United     0-0     Hendon

Merthyr Town     3-0     Hungerford Town

Plymouth Parkway     1-0     Poole Town

Salisbury     2-1      Basingstoke Town

 

DIVISION ONE SOUTH

WEDNESDAY 27 MARCH 2024

Tavistock     3-3     Larkhall Athletic

 

FRIDAY 29 MARCH 2024           

Malvern Town    1-1     Melksham Town

Westbury United    0-2     Yate Town

 

SATURDAY 30 MARCH 2024

Bashley    1-3     Larkhall Athletic

Bishops Cleeve     2-0     Bemerton Heath Harlequins

Bristol Manor Farm     2-0     Evesham United

Exmouth Town     3-1     Willand Rovers

Frome Town     4-0     Bideford

Paulton Rovers     0-1     Cribbs

Tavistock     P-P      Wimborne Town

 

EASTER MONDAY - 01 April 2024

Bemerton Heath Harlequins    2-4   Bashley

Bideford     2-3     Tavistock

Cribbs     0-4     Bishops Cleeve

Evesham United     0-2     Malvern Town

Larkhall Athletic     P-P     Westbury United

Melksham Town     1-2     Frome Town

Mousehole     P-P    Exmouth Town

Willand Rovers     1-2      Bristol Manor Farm

Yate Town     3-0     Paulton Rovers

[sportsman10]

Sholing 1 parkway 1 

A goal in injury time from Dylan jones rescues a valuable point for parkway.  With Tiverton on a bit of a run it was crucial Parkway got something today and that could be a very good point. 
massive game now  at home  Monday against Poole 

also was good to see Jack Bray Evans  back. On the bench and come on. Listening to Lee interview he not fully fit but desperately needed to help out at the minute just hope it doesn’t back fire for the lad . 
 

[Yourhavingalaugh]

It’s been a difficult season for Parkway, but if they stay up, they’ll definitely benefit from the experience, and I reckon a play-off spot could be within the grasp next season.

[sportsman10]

28 minutes ago, Yourhavingalaugh said:

It’s been a difficult season for Parkway, but if they stay up, they’ll definitely benefit from the experience, and I reckon a play-off spot could be within the grasp next season.

Squad not good enough at the minute to push for promotion. Would need a major overhaul to even get anywhere close.  
don’t see it myself . More budget tightening I’d imagine 

[Both Sides of the Tamar]

Spot on post (sadly) Sportsman. Will be intrigued to see how JBE does when fully fit. I’ve enjoyed watching him play at all his previous clubs in Cornwall.

I think some serious surgery needed with the squad. A first choice XI not too shabby, when everyone fit , but squad depth / back up options are modest! The idea that Parkway might  mount a play off push next year with the current attacking choices is pure fantasy!

it is a heresy, but wouldn’t mind a change in manager too. I wonder if Lee Hobbs has taken PPFC are far as he can? 

[Gary Hocking]

(Typing this nervously given how much stick Helston have taken this weekend but) after discussion between both clubs and the match referee this morning it was agreed that a referee's pitch inspection should take place at Trungle Parc this afternoon.  The outcome of that inspection is that tomorrow's fixture (Mousehole vs Exmouth Town) has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. 

[Buckland Jim]

Just heard that Tavistock v Wimborne was postponed yesterday just before 2 o'clock. Pitch obviously hadn't recovered from Wednesday's battering. Have to feel for Wimborne who had a wasteful (and no doubt expensive) journey. 

[Billy Jacka]

Better to call off early knowing that the game has no chance of going ahead Gary, Helston made the same correct decision this week as well knowing that the pitch would not be able to cope with it, its very frustrating have to postpone but we have saved Exmouth having to travel for no reason, you cant always do that when it is borderline which has happened in the past and then referees are left in a terrible position dammed if they do dammed if they dont position this was the only outcome that could have come from today, 

[sportsman10]

Pitches must be in really poor condition to call it off already.  It been dry and windy all day. How are clubs hoping to finish the season. Not a great week ahead with weather more rain. 

[Billy Jacka]

The water table at our ground is the highest its ever been so the water has nowhere to go, the rainfall in this area this feb has been 48% higher than feb 2021 rising year on year so something has to give, I think long term a lot of clubs are going to have to make changes in what they do with their pitches as this is the new norm. 

[Steve Carpenter]

4 hours ago, sportsman10 said:

Pitches must be in really poor condition to call it off already.  It been dry and windy all day. How are clubs hoping to finish the season. Not a great week ahead with weather more rain. 

Don't know where you are but here, west Cornwall, its been light rain all afternoon and our garden is once again squelchyto walk on.

Having seen the forecast for the next week on the tv earlier all leagues and clubs are going to have mounting problems.

[Tommy Matthews]

Is there likely to be any extension to the season Steve as this level of rain is unprecedented and clubs are powerless to do anything more than they’re already doing? 

[Steve Carpenter]

1 hour ago, Tommy Matthews said:

Is there likely to be any extension to the season Steve as this level of rain is unprecedented and clubs are powerless to do anything more than they’re already doing? 

They've moved a bit as you probably know Tommy but you only have to look at Truro's fixtures for an example of intransigence over reality.  They have their play-off schedule and that drives everything.  I fear that only when it becomes completely obvious that that is impossible to achieve will they blink.  At some stage reality must kick into their thinking but they seem to think at the moment that simply saying 'everything must be finished by date' means it will happen without any real understanding of what they're saying.

[Mike Odgers]

13 minutes ago, Steve Carpenter said:

They've moved a bit as you probably know Tommy but you only have to look at Truro's fixtures for an example of intransigence over reality.  They have their play-off schedule and that drives everything.  I fear that only when it becomes completely obvious that that is impossible to achieve will they blink.  At some stage reality must kick into their thinking but they seem to think at the moment that simply saying 'everything must be finished by date' means it will happen without any real understanding of what they're saying.

So you are expected to complete the season on time even by playing on consecutive days.

Example  Mon 8th. April  Truro City v Torquay United

Wednesday   10th..April.Truro City v Eastbourne

Thursday       11th.April  Truro City v Yeovil Town

[Ian Pethick]

Just seen Lee Hobbs' post match comments after the 1-1 draw with Sholing. He was critical of the playing surface... 🙄

 

 

[Ian Pethick]

15 hours ago, Billy Jacka said:

The water table at our ground is the highest its ever been so the water has nowhere to go, the rainfall in this area this feb has been 48% higher than feb 2021 rising year on year so something has to give, I think long term a lot of clubs are going to have to make changes in what they do with their pitches as this is the new norm. 

It is going to get to a stage where step 2 or 3 football (minimum of 23 and 21 home league matches respectively) may be impossible for clubs in the Westcountry that play on traditional grass surfaces. If it weren't for the fact that due to Hamworthy's withdrawal, it is only a 36 game season in the Southern Prem South this time around, then Mousehole would be facing difficulties in fitting games in before the hard stop for regular games of the 27th April. 

 

[sportsman10]

Raining a fair bit this morning in Plymouth since the  game was giving the go ahead  at bolitho. 
be interesting to see how the pitch is going to hold up. 
Especially as the days sponsers are a drainage company 😂

[Tommy Matthews]

19 hours ago, Steve Carpenter said:

They've moved a bit as you probably know Tommy but you only have to look at Truro's fixtures for an example of intransigence over reality.  They have their play-off schedule and that drives everything.  I fear that only when it becomes completely obvious that that is impossible to achieve will they blink.  At some stage reality must kick into their thinking but they seem to think at the moment that simply saying 'everything must be finished by date' means it will happen without any real understanding of what they're saying.

Thanks Steve, I think you’ve summed things up perfectly! 

[sportsman10]

A very scruffy 1 nil win  for parkway. 
poor game 2 poor teams if I’m being honest with not much football to enjoy .  but parkway just dug in and wanted it that little bit more Dylan jones again with a hood header . A huge 3 points really  in a scrap at the bottom. 
the pitch looks poor but held up ok. And looked a pretty decent crowd with argyle at home.  
Looks like another injury picked up.  Only 4 players on the bench. 1 of them a reserve keeper and the other half fit jack bray evans. Looking extremely short on numbers and loads games coming up 

[Both Sides of the Tamar]

5 hours ago, sportsman10 said:

A very scruffy 1 nil win  for parkway. 
poor game 2 poor teams if I’m being honest with not much football to enjoy .  but parkway just dug in and wanted it that little bit more Dylan jones again with a hood header . A huge 3 points really  in a scrap at the bottom. 
the pitch looks poor but held up ok. And looked a pretty decent crowd with argyle at home.  
Looks like another injury picked up.  Only 4 players on the bench. 1 of them a reserve keeper and the other half fit jack bray evans. Looking extremely short on numbers and loads games coming up 

387 I think is the quoted gate. A very big 3 points for PPFC. Went to Argyle and the only sticky brown stuff there was the team and not the pitch! Hope pitch will be OK Thurs and Sunday as hoping to get to Bolitho for the next two games there!

[Ian Pethick]

13 hours ago, sportsman10 said:

A very scruffy 1 nil win  for parkway. 
poor game 2 poor teams if I’m being honest with not much football to enjoy .  but parkway just dug in and wanted it that little bit more Dylan jones again with a hood header . A huge 3 points really  in a scrap at the bottom. 
the pitch looks poor but held up ok. And looked a pretty decent crowd with argyle at home.  
Looks like another injury picked up.  Only 4 players on the bench. 1 of them a reserve keeper and the other half fit jack bray evans. Looking extremely short on numbers and loads games coming up 

Dylan Jones will, understandably, grab the headlines with his goals over the weekend and their importance, but it sounded like Adam Parkes made huge contributions with big saves at vital stages of both games 

[Ian Pethick]

On 30/03/2024 at 19:24, Yourhavingalaugh said:

It’s been a difficult season for Parkway, but if they stay up, they’ll definitely benefit from the experience, and I reckon a play-off spot could be within the grasp next season.

Depends very heavily on what the summer looks like in terms of ins and outs though. 6 or 7 departures and 6 or 7 arrivals has been the story at Parkway for the last few seasons. It has to be said that the quality of the recruiting has been "variable" (to put it mildly) with "mini rebuilds" having to be carried out partway into recent campaigns.

In the weather induced chaos of the last few months, it has been forgotten about Parkway's run of results through November, December and January . They were the league's in form side with a tilt at the play offs being a real possibility.

Keeping the core of Parkes, White, Lane, Down, Hall, Garside and Purrington will be important while adding more firepower in forward postions (and warding off the inevitable interest in Dylan Jones) is vital. All costs ££££ though.

[Both Sides of the Tamar]

47 minutes ago, Ian Pethick said:

Depends very heavily on what the summer looks like in terms of ins and outs though. 6 or 7 departures and 6 or 7 arrivals has been the story at Parkway for the last few seasons. It has to be said that the quality of the recruiting has been "variable" (to put it mildly) with "mini rebuilds" having to be carried out partway into recent campaigns.

In the weather induced chaos of the last few months, it has been forgotten about Parkway's run of results through November, December and January . They were the league's in form side with a tilt at the play offs being a real possibility.

Keeping the core of Parkes, White, Lane, Down, Hall, Garside and Purrington will be important while adding more firepower in forward postions (and warding off the inevitable interest in Dylan Jones) is vital. All costs ££££ though.

I do agree. There is a core group of players to build around. I’d add Crago, if played in his right position. The trouble is a Ben Seymour / Tyler Harvey quality type of striker costs £££s and there aren’t many of them around. Who realistically could  PPFC go for? I do think JB-E will prove to be a decent option once fit and with a pre-season behind him. However a 15-20 goal a season man needed now. It is always this way. Dylan Jones shows promise. I like him, but he’s far from the finished article yet. 
 

Summer recruitment will be  key. Last year the additions were nowhere near good enough. It is well known Lee Hobbs not a fan of pre-season. Who is? It is, though, essential to have a challenging level of preparation so as to avoid what could become habitual slow starts at Bolitho.
 

I’ve always wondered too, what if Mark Russell gets bored of the club or his financial input reduces? Maybe, the club is more sustainable than I think? Could this be a problem?

Overall, in these parts, Parkway still have the biggest potential to advance -including over and above Truro City. They do need to bring more of their own through where possible, but POFC remains an interesting project. 

[sportsman10]

Parkes would be the worry for me.  Definitely bigger clubs circulating around him already I understand 
Without him this season parkway would be in some serious trouble he been the difference in so many games. 

[Ian Pethick]

1 hour ago, Both Sides of the Tamar said:

I do agree. There is a core group of players to build around. I’d add Crago, if played in his right position. The trouble is a Ben Seymour / Tyler Harvey quality type of striker costs £££s and there aren’t many of them around. Who realistically could  PPFC go for? I do think JB-E will prove to be a decent option once fit and with a pre-season behind him. However a 15-20 goal a season man needed now. It is always this way. Dylan Jones shows promise. I like him, but he’s far from the finished article yet. 
 

Summer recruitment will be  key. Last year the additions were nowhere near good enough. It is well known Lee Hobbs not a fan of pre-season. Who is? It is, though, essential to have a challenging level of preparation so as to avoid what could become habitual slow starts at Bolitho.
 

I’ve always wondered too, what if Mark Russell gets bored of the club or his financial input reduces? Maybe, the club is more sustainable than I think? Could this be a problem?

Overall, in these parts, Parkway still have the biggest potential to advance -including over and above Truro City. They do need to bring more of their own through where possible, but POFC remains an interesting project. 

Won't be a popular opinion amongst many, but I do wonder if step 3 football is Parkway's ceiling. The truth is that Argyle will always be the main club in the city, and will attract the bulk of the following and attention. Interesting to note that the best attended clubs (and the ones at the higher end of the table) are from 1 club towns and with no competing league outfits. I know that Parkway fixtures have been decimated by the weather, and taken a hammer blow to the Saturday matches, but you can see from the league attendance stats that they are well down on what the leading clubs get (which, in turn, feeds into playing budgets available). 

Possibly Truro City, as a 1 club city with a population of around 21,000, may have more potential support (if marketed and promoted properly).

Attendance Statistics

Attendances
Team		Lowest	Highest	Average	+/-
1	AFC Totton	971	1365	1222	+10.39%
2	Gosport Borough	586	1137	822	+20.18%
3	Merthyr Town	528	1296	818	+33.44%
4	Salisbury	507	1383	815	+67.01%
5	Basingstoke Town	473	1117	759	+20.09%
6	Chesham United	351	1353	638	+49.77%
7	Walton & Hersham	0	805	569	+19.29%
8	Poole Town	255	967	533	+18.18%
9	Dorchester Town	0	1615	519	+4.22%
10	Plymouth Parkway	115	1250	420	-18.76%

[Both Sides of the Tamar]

14 minutes ago, sportsman10 said:

Parkes would be the worry for me.  Definitely bigger clubs circulating around him already I understand 
Without him this season parkway would be in some serious trouble he been the difference in so many games. 

Very good point Sportsman. 

[Ian Pethick]

16 minutes ago, sportsman10 said:

Parkes would be the worry for me.  Definitely bigger clubs circulating around him already I understand 
Without him this season parkway would be in some serious trouble he been the difference in so many games. 

Goalkeepers are like strikers in that there isn't many top class ones about, and everybody wants them.

 

[Both Sides of the Tamar]

40 minutes ago, Ian Pethick said:

Won't be a popular opinion amongst many, but I do wonder if step 3 football is Parkway's ceiling. The truth is that Argyle will always be the main club in the city, and will attract the bulk of the following and attention. Interesting to note that the best attended clubs (and the ones at the higher end of the table) are from 1 club towns and with no competing league outfits. I know that Parkway fixtures have been decimated by the weather, and taken a hammer blow to the Saturday matches, but you can see from the league attendance stats that they are well down on what the leading clubs get (which, in turn, feeds into playing budgets available). 

Possibly Truro City, as a 1 club city with a population of around 21,000, may have more potential support (if marketed and promoted properly).

Attendance Statistics

Attendances
Team		Lowest	Highest	Average	+/-
1	AFC Totton	971	1365	1222	+10.39%
2	Gosport Borough	586	1137	822	+20.18%
3	Merthyr Town	528	1296	818	+33.44%
4	Salisbury	507	1383	815	+67.01%
5	Basingstoke Town	473	1117	759	+20.09%
6	Chesham United	351	1353	638	+49.77%
7	Walton & Hersham	0	805	569	+19.29%
8	Poole Town	255	967	533	+18.18%
9	Dorchester Town	0	1615	519	+4.22%
10	Plymouth Parkway	115	1250	420	-18.76%

A successful season & an Argyle side back in L1 for a while, if that happens, could adjust these figures a bit. A season with Saturday home games every other week will similarly push the figures upwards!

The other factor if Argyle stay up, is that  their games do sell out. ‘Overflow’ supporters have an option in PPFC.  Are we saying a city of 250K with only one EFL club 40 miles away, couldn’t deliver a good level of non league club too? 
 

Another factor, vis-a-vis Truro City,  is they [Parkway]  do already have a core fan base. It is impossible to say if City can bring in old and new supporters next season. It is not a given. I hope and want both clubs to do really well. 
 

i think NLS could be sustainable for PP longer term. Or is a bigger level of investor needed to achieve such? 
 

Thank you for your response Ian. Your insights on this forum I are invariably informative and thought provoking!

[Ian Pethick]

8 minutes ago, Both Sides of the Tamar said:

A successful season & an Argyle side back in L1 for a while, if that happens, could adjust these figures a bit. A season with Saturday home games every other week will similarly push the figures upwards!

The other factor if Argyle stay up, is that  their games do sell out. ‘Overflow’ supporters have an option in PPFC.  Are we saying a city of 250K with only one EFL club 40 miles away, couldn’t deliver a good level of non league club too? 
 

Another factor, vis-a-vis Truro City,  is they [Parkway]  do already have a core fan base. It is impossible to say if City can bring in old and new supporters next season. It is not a given. I hope and want both clubs to do really well. 
 

i think NLS could be sustainable for PP longer term. Or is a bigger level of investor needed to achieve such? 
 

Thank you for your response Ian. Your insights on this forum I are invariably informative and thought provoking!

Hope you're right regarding Parkway and a step 2 future (know that was Mark Russell's stated aim even back in the SW Peninsula days). Do find it interesting though that looking through the National League South table they are, with the exception of the Greater London teams, all from towns or cities with no competing league or Prem clubs.

 

[Both Sides of the Tamar]

5 minutes ago, Ian Pethick said:

Hope you're right regarding Parkway and a step 2 future (know that was Mark Russell's stated aim even back in the SW Peninsula days). Do find it interesting though that looking through the National League South table they are, with the exception of the Greater London teams, all from towns or cities with no competing league or Prem clubs.

 

A very good point. And, it is right, that those who wish PPFC well, debate the way forward too. Russell & Baggott may own the club, but the real ‘owners’ of all clubs are those who stay forever…. The Supporters. 
 

in the same vein, the critical aspect of TCFC’s future is how they develop a relationship with supporters and the community in the Truro area.

Who will do it best? What good role models of a well run club in non league football could both learn from? 

[Devonian]

As I understand it, although Truro is the capital , population wise it is not as big as Falmouth or Penzance or a couple of other places.

if Truro stay NLS and say Falmouth and Helston reach Southern League, is  the attraction of slightly higher level of football enough to pull back supporters who have just felt part of a promotion winning club?