News Stories from Tom Howe

Westinsure Cornwall Senior Cup : Third Round Round-Up

Spark of Light for AFC St Austell

Last weekend saw the Third Round of the Westinsure Cornwall Senior Cup take place.

SWPL Premier sides AFC St Austell , Bodmin Town, Falmouth Town, Liskeard Athletic and Saltash United all marched on to the fourth round with away victories.

Reigning champions Bodmin made hard work of it against St Just, with goals from Adam Carter and Danny O’Hagan in the final ten minutes sealing victory.

They weren’t the only side who had it tough; Alan Carey’s Falmouth were taken to extra-time by Godolphin Atlantic who pressed for large spells of the game, while last year’s runners-up AFC St Austell narrowly beat St Dennis with a spectacular free-kick from Jake Hartigan.

Matters were a lot easier for Liskeard and Saltash as they beat Foxhole Stars and Callington Town respectively.

Can any sides below the Premier Division go one better than last year and reach the semi-finals?

Last year’s quarter-finalists Penryn Athletic ripped apart Illogan RBL, while Truro City Reserves pulled off a fantastic result at Torpoint Athletic.

Camelford’s game with Porthleven was postponed and will now be played on Saturday.

The quarter-finals will be played on Saturday, 18th February, look out for the draw on Thursday.

Calington Town 1-5 Saltash United, Foxhole Stars 0-3 Liskeard Athletic, Godolphin 1-2 Falmouth Town (AET), Penryn Athletic 5-1 Illogan RBL, St Dennis 0-1 AFC St Austell, St Just 0-2 Bodmin Town, Torpoint Athletic 0-1 Truro City, Camelford P-P Porthleven (To be played on 28/01/2012 at 13:30)

Tom Howe, is currently a Level 2 student at University College Falmouth studying BA (Hons) Journalism.
Born in Truro, but based in Camborne, he has always taken a keen interest in local sport - primarily football. In the past, he has had articles published in the Truro Packet and the St Austell Voice, Truro City Fan's Forum and Falmouth Town's website to name but a few, also completing a week's work experience at

the West Briton alongside Rhod Mitchell. Recently, he has been collating results on a Saturday afternoon for the Cornwall Community News website.

You can contact Tom via e-mail - tomhowe1992@hotmail.com or th130228@falmouth.ac.uk or mobile 07402838925

For further information see his blog at http://writtenspace.wordpress.com/

AFC St Austell has taken a step forward in their own development, as well as the leagues, with the construction of floodlights at Poltair Park.

The Carlsberg South West Peninsula Premier League side can now apply for entry into the FA Cup and FA Vase, with the final decision resting with the FA.

Poltair Park can now be chosen by the FA to host the latter stages of cups which are played at a neutral setting.

A backlog of fixtures could also become a thing of the past as the floodlights enable the league to schedule weekday evening games.

AFC St Austell, currently sitting ninth in the table, is the third team to install lights this season after Bovey Tracey and Ivybridge Town completed the work last year.

Phil Hiscox, company/football secretary and web master for The South West Peninsula League Ltd, said: “St Austell getting lights is another great progress towards the Premier Division all floodlit.

St Austell will make it 17 out of 20 lit in the top division.”

News broke on the popular Cornish Soccer Forum with one excited post from regular user and AFC St Austell commercial manager Money Man, aka James Chapman, saying: “Delighted to say that the first game under lights at Poltair Park will be Friday the 27th January, 19:45 kick-off. This will be a truly unbelievable occasion for all involved at AFC St Austell”

Club Chairman James Hutchings is looking forward to a successful future: “This is a massive change for the club and what people think about us. It puts AFC St Austell on the map, where we want to be.

The lights will become an attraction. The floodlights will result in more evening games, freeing up weekends, which will become a bonus for players and supporters with family commitments.”

Five years ago, the clubs board sat around the table and debated whether to pack it in, or continue. The decision was to continue and after the application for promotion they had to distribute planning applications around to local residents and businesses in case of any objections.

The Lilywhites then went onto win the Cornwall Senior Cup in 2009, beating Saltash United 3-2, and in 2011 narrowly missed out to Bodmin Town 3-2.

Following the cup winning season the side were promoted from the West Division up to the Premier.

The twenty-eight year old, one of the youngest chairman in the country, went on to say: “The idea came about around 2008-09 when we applied for promotion. The league stated that we had to have floodlights built within two years, but a club like ourselves has to rely heavily on sponsorship.

Talking about the current season and the prospects for the final months, former player Mr Hutchings said: “We have dropped a few points where we should have been picking them up. That was down to a few inconsistencies but we’re really starting to pick up.

A top five finish would be lovely but sixth or seventh is probably more realistic.”

As already mentioned the club relies on sponsorship money to come in before any plans can be put into action. However, there are plans to tarmac the car park and revamp the changing rooms in the future.

These are exciting times for those involved and supporting AFC St Austell as they look to push on in the Carlsberg South West Premier League and potentially move onto the next level.

A bumper crowd is expected at Poltair Park on Friday, 27th January as the clubs first match under lights takes place against champions Buckland Athletic.

The club are currently in the process of securing an ex-professional to switch on the lights.

Falmouth Town Up for Promotion
Falmouth Town AFC has become the third team in Cornwall’s premier division to apply for promotion for the 2012-13 season.
The Carlsberg South West Peninsula Premier League side have joined Plymouth Parkway and reigning champions Buckland Athletic in applying for the step-up to the Charter Standard Toolstation Western Premier League.
The news was confirmed by club chairman Steve Kimberley who said in a statement: “At a Falmouth Town AFC Executive Committee meeting just before Christmas, a vote was taken on whether we should apply for promotion from the CSWPL under the FA Pyramid system.
The result was a very positive – yes!”
Mr Kimberly went onto say: “I can confirm that Falmouth Town AFC have now submitted an application for acceptance and promotion to the Toolstation Western League Premier Division, for next season, 2012-13.”
Town have been successful in the higher level before, with four league wins on the trot between 1974-79.
The club, managed by Alan Carey, announced in summer 2011 that they were in the process of

examining the local area to find a suitable site for a new stadium.
A statement from the club read that the “…new stadium will provide the club with up-to-date and enhanced facilities for both players and spectators, including new training pitches.”

Another Cornish team who have had the chance of promotion before, albeit in Rugby, are the Cornish Pirates who were denied the step up due to their stadium not being up to standard.
Town’s main Cornish rivals Truro City played in the TWLPD before securing promotions to higher levels, now sitting in the Blue Square Bet South-two levels away from the Football League and the highest placed Cornish team.
Kevin Heaney’s men won the league in the 2007-08 season.

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