CORNWALL "DOUBLE" (Liskeard/Torpoint)

After, by default, following Billingham Synthonia for the last two rounds of the Vase, they were then drawn away to Torpoint Athletic. As much as I would loved to have ticked off Torpoint,  I felt that was a journey too far for me. It's a hell of a long way to go in one day.

However, after perusing the fixtures it was noted that Liskeard Athletic had a Friday evening game, so I could get in two South West Peninsula grounds in one trip, hmmm, that put a slighty different slant on things....


Friday 11th February 2011
South West Peninsula Premier League
Liskeard Athletic 1-2 Plymouth Parkway
Attendance: 152

For a Friday afternoon it was a relatively painless journey down the M5 to a very wet Lux Park, the home of Liskeard Athletic. The Blues currently find themselves hovering perilously close to the drop zone, whilst tonight's opposition are hot on the heels of league leaders Buckland Athletic.

The first half was dominated, possession wise, by the homesters but it was Parkway who created the best chances and Liskeard were grateful to goalkeeper Gary Turner for keeping the scoreline blank at the interval. The second half began in similar fashion and Liskeard eventually took the lead their dominance deserved when Sam Cooper scored on 65 minutes.

This brought Parkway out of their shell and they upped a gear to turn the game around, substitute Andy Sargent helping himself to a brace with two goals in a two minutes (76 & 78). This scoreline was harsh on Liskeard who done enough to earn a point at least. Maybe the difference in clinical finishing explained the postions of the respective teams.

Saturday 12th February 2011

FA Vase 5th Round Proper
Torpoint Athletic v Billingham Synthonia
Attendance: 450

After the wet weather of Friday night, Saturday was glorious sunshine as Torpoint Athletic prepared for their biggest game in recent years. The opposition was from the north east as Billingham travelled the 380 miles south to Cornwall. I have seen Billingham in their last two rounds of the competition and I, like most neutral people, had them down as strong favourites. That was not to completely dismiss Torpoint who are having a good season and, with games in hand, they could easily be involved in the title shake up at the end of the season, but it was Step 6 v Step 5 at the end of the day.

The game was an excellent one as both teams went for it from the off and it was an open end-to-end game. Synners played the more controlled football whilst The Point were happier to play on the counter. The deadlock was broken after just 17 minutes when Josh Grant broke through and his scuffed shot had enough on it to find the bottom corner of the net. Billingham kept attacking and the home goalkeeper, Martin Piper, pulled off two absolutely top draw saves to preserve his sides lead at the interval.

The second half was slightly different as Torpoint dug in to defend their lead. The Synners threw the kitchen sink at them but could not break down a stubborn defensive bank. The closest they came was an effort that was cleared off the line, but The Point held on to secure a famous victory. The majority of the 450 crowd that packed into The Mill went home extremely happy and dreaming of Wembley as their team are now just three games away.

Panic in the Torpoint defence as a Billingham effort heads towards goal,
but it was cleared off the line.

FLINT TOWN UNITED (Cae-y-Castell)

Wednesday 9th February 2011
Cymru Alliance
Flint Town United 1-2 Connah's Quay
Attendance: 150

Due to some work related shenanigans I was afforded the chance to work 9 to 5 like normal human beings do. This created the opportunity to get in some rare midweek action, what a treat!

It doesn't get much closer to home than this!

I used to watch Flint regularly in the mid 1990's when they were flying high in the League of Wales, but it has been a long time since I visited Cae-y Castell. What better way to re-introduce myself than a local derby against the Nomads. 

The ground has not changed at all since my last visit, with the exception of a tiny arena-style stand in one of the corners (see photo below) but the status of the club has, as they have been in the Cymru Alliance since 1998. The Nomads came down last summer after the re-organisation of the Premier League but find themselves in pole position to make a quick return.


The game never really got going in the first half, despite the Nomads taking an early lead when a mix up between the Flint goalie and defender allowed Gary O'Toole a simple tap in after five minutes. Flint hit the bar through Shaun Beck just before half time but there was little created in terms of clear cut chances.

O'Toole doubled the Nomads advantage on the hour mark, from a lightning breakaway from a Flint corner! Simon Thellwall made it 2-1 with 20 minutes but the Silkmen couldn't find that elusive equaliser, though they did come close deep into stoppage time.  The Nomads held on for a deserved victory.

ASHTON TOWN (Edge Green Street)

Tuesday 8th February 2011
North West Counties League Division 1
Ashton Town 5-2 Daisy Hill
Attendance: 40

Due to some work related shenanigans I was afforded the chance to work 9 to 5 like normal human beings do. This created the opportunity to get in some rare midweek action, what a treat!

It was a short trip up the M6/A58 to the town of Ashton-in-Makerfield and Edge Green Street, the home of Ashton Town. It was their first home game since December 11th due to the bad weather and tonight they were up against perennial strugglers Daisy Hill, but both teams are at the wrong end of the table.

The first half of the game was a pretty even affair with both teams as bad as each other. Ashton Town started like a train and were at Daisy Hill from the off. The Daisy Hill goalie was wearing tracksuit bottoms and I then told my groundhopping mate about my theory on goalkeepers who wear trackie bottoms and how, 9 times out of 10, they are dodgy to say the least.

After 4 minutes Ashton got a corner on the right and Paul Cliff proceeded to score direct from it. Point proved me thinks. The 'keeper then provided a couple more comedy moments but these were the highlights of a generally poor first half.

The second wasn't that much better, still very scrappy and bad tempered,  but at least there was a goal fest to compensate for the lack of any half-decent football. Lewis Coyle (58) made it 2-0 before Gregory (60) halved the deficit. Two goals in four minutes through David Ojapah (75) and a Michael Sykes penalty (79) gave the homesters an unassailable advantage. An own goal on 89 minutes proved to be too little too late for Daisy Hill, not that it mattered as Adam Howard fired home deep into stoppage time to give Ashton a 5-2 win.

DURHAM CITY (New Ferens Park)

Saturday 5th February 2011
Northern Premier League Division One North
Durham City 0-3 Chester
Attendance: 507

A Michael Wilde hat-trick secured a comfortable away win for the visitors.



Spot the mistake!