Bodmin limp to top of table

CARLSBERG SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION:

BODMIN TOWN 1 PLYMOUTH PARKWAY 1

Injury-ravaged Bodmin had to dig deep in the second half to earn the point which takes them to the top of the table on goal difference with four games to go.

Trailing to a superb 33rd minute strike from Jordan Trott, Bodmin lost midfield creator River Allen with a knee injury soon after and then had to replace Steve Bowker (ankle) at the start of the second half.

But they carved out a 56th minute equaliser from former Parkway favourite Shane Krac and despite losing a third injured player in Sam Matthews (foot) midway through the half, they battled to the end – and the referee played ten minutes of time added on – to take a deserved point.

Bodmin revealed later that midfield man Lance Bailey, another former Parkway player, had dislocated his shoulder early in the game but had it put back in during the half time interval and saw the game through before going to hospital.

Matthews was also said to be on his way to hospital for x-rays on his foot injury.

More often than not you would regard a home draw as two points dropped but on this occasion this was a good point for Bodmin, given all the circumstances.

Although they made the brighter start, with Adam Carter and Andrew Neal spurning chances in the opening ten minutes, Bodmin were soon pushed back by a Parkway side urged on from midfield by the excellent Danny Lewis.

And it was a free kick from Lewis in the 21st minute which almost led to the opening goal as defender Mike Landricombe rose to send a powerful header towards the net only for goalkeeper Scott Corderoy to tip over the bar.

It was a warning sign for the home side and one they didn’t heed as Parkway swept ahead in the 33rd minute with a rocket of a finish from Trott with Bodmin defenders failing to close the left back down inside the penalty area.

Lewis then created a great opportunity in the 38th minute with a superb low cross which rolled invitingly across the six yard box but nobody was there to provide the finishing touch.

And deep into first half injury time, former Bodmin favourite Steve Colwell produced a fine shot from 20 yards but Corderoy was equal to it with a good stop.

There was still time for play to switch to the other end where Neal was in on goal but was twice denied by excellent blocks from keeper Dean Smith.

Parkway, though, had been the better side by a distance in the first half and might have expected to continue their dominance in the second half, especially with the lively Bowker forced out of the action with an ankle injury.

But Bodmin started to attack with more belief and they were level 11 minutes into the half when keeper Smith made a hesitant clearance after racing off his line to deny Neal, only to see the ball break to Krac, who calmly chipped his shot from 25 yards into an unguarded net.

Matthews then suffered his foot injury following a challenge from Jamie Bass but his replacement, Dan Jennings, brought more spark to the Bodmin attack with his turn of pace.

The introduction by Parkway of striker Levi Landricombe with nine minutes left brought renewed belief to the visitors but it was Bodmin who almost snatched a second goal in the 84th minute.

Carter found himself one on one with Smith but the keeper dived in bravely at the striker’s feet to deny him, while also injuring himself. So much so that in an injury-ravaged game, he had to be replaced by substitute goalkeeper Martin Piper.

Carter made up for his miss by heading a Parkway corner off the line in the 89th minute, before substitute Callum Watson got the better of Jack Podmore on the right and his intended cross to the far post almost drifted into the net.

Because of the injuries, a good deal of time added on was expected, but maybe not the ten minutes the referee played. It made for a tense finish to another top South West Peninsula League game.

So there we are. A hectic and dramatic midweek of action complete, leaving Bodmin on top on goal difference from reigning champions St Austell.

We’re now down to the last four games for both teams – and the meeting between the sides next Wednesday, May 4, is likely to be crucial.

Bodmin: Corderoy, Hillson, Matthews (Jennings 63), Chambers, Simmonds, Bailey, Bowker (Bevan 46), Allen (Podmore 36), Carter, Neal, Krac. Subs not used: Gilbert, Bullen.

Goal: Krac (56).

Yellow cards: None.

Plymouth Parkway: D Smith (Piper 86), Bass, Trott, M Landricombe, J Heveran, Berry (Watson 73), Colwell, Lewis, M Smith, Richards (L Landricombe 81), Martindale. Subs not used: Saunders, D Smith.

Goal: Trott (33).

Yellow cards: None.

Referee: Derek Fox.

Marriott Man of the Match: Danny Lewis – excellent contribution from the Parkway midfield man.

FA charge St Austell player Marcus Martin

The Cornwall Football Association have issued a charge against St Austell footballer Marcus Martin over alleged incidents involving a referee at last night’s Carlsberg South West Peninsula League match against Tavistock.

Two minutes from the end of the game, which Tavistock won 4-1, Martin was shown a straight red card by ref Stuart Kane for abusive language and then allegedly ran at the official, grabbed him around the neck and pulled him to the ground.

A statement from Cornwall FA said: “Following the receipt of reports from the match officials at a game between AFC St Austell and Tavistock AFC, Cornwall FA have issued a charge against Marcus Martin for an alleged breach of FA Rule E3 – improper conduct against a match official (including physical contact/violent conduct/ and threatening and/or abusive language behaviour).

“Mr Martin has been suspended from all football and football activities with immediate effect. AFC St Austell and Mr Martin have two weeks to respond to the charge.”

A Cornwall FA spokesman told BBC Radio Cornwall that St Austell, the club, would not be facing any disciplinary action.

St Austell, the reigning champions and still leaders of the premier division despite last night’s defeat, had issued a statement of their own earlier today announcing that they had suspended Martin with immediate effect pending investigations.

Martin, a former Plymouth Argyle youngster, is an experienced and much-travelled local footballer. He has also played for Exeter City, Tiverton Town and Plymouth Parkway, and was a member of the FA Vase winning Truro City side of 2007.

St Austell suspend Marcus Martin

ST AUSTELL have this morning suspended their player, Marcus Martin, following an alleged physical attack on referee Stuart Kane after receiving a straight red card for dissent against Tavistock at Poltair Park last night.

The incident happened in the 88th minute of the Carlsberg South West Peninsula League premier division game, which Tavistock won 4-1 against reigning champions and league leaders St Austell.

In a statement, club chairman James Hutchings said: “Following the unsavoury events that occurred during the game on Tuesday night following the dismissal of Marcus Martin, the club would like to place on record that it does not condone such behaviour in the game in any way.

“Marcus Martin has now been suspended by the club with immediate effect and we will be working with the FA and SWPL very closely while a full investigation is carried out.

“The club would also like to apologise publicly to all in attendance at the game, the FA, the SWPL and also to the match referee Stuart Kane, who is a well respected match official throughout Cornwall and Devon.

“No further comment will be made at this time.”

Hobbs hat trick stuns St Austell

CARLSBERG SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION:

ST AUSTELL 1 TAVISTOCK 4

This will go down as a night premier division leaders St Austell will want to forget as their hopes of retaining the title took a severe knock at Poltair Park.

The physical attack by full back Marcus Martin on referee Stuart Kane in the 88th minute (see separate blog report) overshadowed a humbling defeat by an in-form Tavistock side who were worthy winners.

Glyn Hobbs took the honours with a second half hat trick, including a breathtaking free kick and a penalty, but Tavvy’s star man was young winger Jack Crago, whose pace caused St Austell’s defence all sorts of problems.

After the home side had dominated the opening half hour, it was Crago who set the game alight with a superb goal in the 39th minute, cutting in from the left to produce a fierce 20 yard shot which had the beating of goalkeeper Jason Chapman, despite him getting a hand to the effort.

Tavistock had a great chance to double their lead after 62 minutes when Hobbs set up Kelvin Fyneboy ten yards out, but he blasted his shot high over the bar.

But it was 2-0 six minutes later as Hobbs led the home defence a merry dance across their own penalty area before firing a low shot pas Chapman from 15 yards.

St Austell were given renewed hope of pulling something out of the fire three minutes later when Liam Eddy’s fierce shot from 20 yards took a heavy deflection off a defender and spun over goalkeeper Jack Ord into the net.

Eddy then had an opportunity to make it 2-2 in the 77th minute but dragged his low right foot shot wide of the far post.

It turned out to be a crucial moment because five minutes later Tavistock made sure of the points with a free kick special from Hobbs, 20 yards out, which three goalkeepers wouldn’t have kept out.

St Austell had good reason to complain about the original free kick decision by the referee, because Damon Mulready appeared to win the ball in a challenge with Fyneboy.

But there was no arguing about Hobbs’ rocket.

Then came the big flashpoint of the night, and possibly the season, as Chapman came to the edge of his penalty area to challenge Crago and appeared to win the ball. But a linesman flagged for a penalty and the referee pointed to the spot.

Several St Austell players argued with the officials about the decision – but Martin appeared to lose his composure completely and launched into a tirade of abuse at the referee, who produced a straight red card and then moved towards the penalty spot.

Martin, on the left hand edge of the box, then raced towards the referee, grabbed him around the neck and dragged him to the ground as players from both sides tried to intervene.

The player was eventually persuaded to leave the field by players from both sides, but only after threatening the assistant referee who had flagged for the penalty.

When the referee had recovered, Hobbs stepped up to fire the penalty home to complete his hat trick and Tavistock’s victory.

It was almost forgotten that the visitors were reduced to ten men in the dying seconds when defender Lewis Daw collected a second yellow card.

St Austell remain one point ahead of Bodmin at the top, but have played a game more, with four more to play. including a return fixture at Tavistock in their last match.

In this remarkable title run-in, who knows what might happen next.

We won’t have long to wait – because Bodmin are at home to Plymouth Parkway tomorrow.

St Austell: Chapman, Martin, Watts, Broad (Williams 61), Whetter, Giles, Reski (Prynn 72), Pople, Eddy, Grant, Mulready. Subs not used: Lean, Evans, Penhaligon.

Goal: Eddy (71).

Yellow cards: Eddy (43), Mulready (85).

Red card: Martin (88).

Tavistock: Ord, Cross, Robins, Evans, L Daw, W Daw, Crago, Hallett, Coombes (Follett 90+1), Hobbs, Fyneboy (Sheppard 83). Sub not used: Johnson.

Goals: Crago (39), Hobbs (68, 85, 88 pen).

Yellow cards: Evans (35), W Daw (37), L Coombes (52), Fyneboy (63), L Daw (74), J Crago.

Red card: L Daw (90+2) – two yellows.

Referee: Stuart Kane.

Attendance: 167.

Marriott Man of the Match: Jack Crago – superb performance from the Tavistock winger.

St Austell player Marcus Martin attacks referee after red card

St Austell defender Marcus Martin is facing severe disciplinary action after physically attacking referee Stuart Kane during his side’s 4-1 home defeat by Tavistock in the Carlsberg South West Peninsula League tonight.

Martin reacted angrily to an 88th minute penalty award for Tavistock, launching a tirade of abusive language at the match official, and was shown a straight red card.

The player then ran straight at the referee, grabbed him around the neck and dragged him to the ground from behind  before other players intervened and led him away.

Martin then threatened a linesman before being escorted off the pitch by several team-mates, including Martin Giles, who did his best to calm the player down.

Martin was heard to say sorry on the sidelines and immediately after the game went to the match officials’ dressing room, accompanied by St Austell manager Phil Lafferty, to apologise for his behaviour.

But the former Truro City player is certain to face disciplinary action.

In 40 years of covering football professionally, I have never seen an attack on a referee.

Martin’s outburst came after St Austell goalkeeper Jason Chapman had been adjudged, by a linesman, to have fouled Tavistock winger Jack Crago to concede a penalty.

I was standing about 15 yards from the incident and Chapman clearly won the ball – but however bad the linesman’s decision was, there was no excuse for what Martin did.

St Austell supporters have reacted strongly on Twitter, criticising the player for his actions. One, Laura Williams, tweeted: “Didn’t spend two hours in the freezing cold to see that. Disgrace to the club, supporters and the game.”

Dan Elston tweeted: “Let the club down and St Austell. I was there, if it happened off the pitch he would have been arrested. Absolute embarrassment.”

Lee Williams wrote: “They (the officials) are never going to change their decision. Felt embarrassed to be a supporter of @AFCSTAUSTELL ”

The South West Peninsula League’s secretary Phil Hiscox said in a short statement: “I have received unconfirmed reports of an incident that saw a match referee allegedly assaulted in the St Austell v Tavistock fixture this evening.

“Such matters have a due process to follow and the league will not comment further at this stage and will await the authorities’ action over the coming days.”

St Austell FC are unlikely to make any comment until club officials have discussed the matter with the Cornwall FA.

 

 

 

 

Bodmin cash in on Saltash collapse

CARLSBERG SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION:

Bodmin Town 7 Saltash United 0

So, there is one point between the top two teams with five games to go after Bodmin took advantage of Saltash’s implosion at Priory Park tonight.

St Austell hold that advantage, and will increase it to four points again tomorrow if they beat Tavistock at Poltair Park.

But they will go into that fixture a little more apprehensively after Bodmin’s seven-goal romp against a Saltash side who had to play with nine men for the last 35 minutes.

Adam Carter, who had scored only one goal in Bodmin’s previous ten league games, helped himself to four including three penalties.

And his partner in crime up front, Andrew Neal, got the other three as he notched his 11th hat trick since joining Bodmin in September. He now has 55 goals for the season, while Carter has moved to 40.

Quite how Bodmin missed so many other chances only they will know – but maybe this result will have restored some of the confidence which has ebbed away during April.

There was no sign of a goals avalanche as the first half moved into time added on with hardly a chance of note at either end.

But then home keeper Scott Corderoy, standing in for the injured Kevin Miller, launched a massive clearance deep into the Saltash half and Neal nipped in, only to be brought down by keeper Simon May.

Neal had been denied a clear scoring opportunity and May had to go. Callum O’Brien took over in goal but could do nothing to prevent Carter’s spot kick giving the home side a massive lift going into the break.

Saltash decided to swap their keeper at the start of the second half, with defender Chris Menhenick taking the green shirt to allow O’Brien back outfield, but within four minutes of the restart Bodmin doubled their lead.

The most flowing move so far led to Neal tapping in from close range after excellent passing and movement between Carter and Sam Matthews.

Two minutes after that it was game over as Carter converted his second penalty to make it 3-0 after River Allen had been tripped by Sam Farrant but it got worse for the Ashes shortly afterwards as O’Brien got his marching orders for an ugly challenge on Neal which left the Bodmin striker requiring lengthy treatment.

From the resulting penalty, Carter made it 4-0 to complete a hat trick of penalties and he added his fourth goal just after the hour as Saltash’s nine men were battered.

Neal was on hand to finish from close range in the 74th minute and he completed the scoring five minutes from time.

It seems a ridiculous thing to say when a team has scored seven goals, but Bodmin really should have notched double figures and Carter could have doubled his tally. He missed easier chances than the penalties!

They will hope they still have one or two goals in their locker for Wednesday night, when Plymouth Parkway are the visitors to Priory Park.

By that time, of course, St Austell may have opened up their lead again.

What is for sure is that this title race is going to the wire. And next Wednesday’s meeting between Bodmin and St Austell should be a cracker.

Bodmin: Corderoy, Hillson, Podmore (Alden 67), Chambers, Simmonds, Bailey, Matthews, Allen (Bevan 52), Carter, Neal, Krac (Jennings 72). Sub not used: Gilbert.

Goals: Carter (45+2, 51, 54 -all pens – 61), Neal (49, 74, 85).

Saltash: May, Wickens (Cleary 72), Menhenick, O’Brien, Lewis Russell, Bance, Carey, Farrant, Youlden, Lloyd Russell, Ferris. Subs not used: Edwards, Nathan.

Yellow cards: Wickens (26), Bance (41).

Red cards: May (45+2), O’Brien (54).

Referee: Lee Dudman.

Marriott Man of the Match: Sam Matthews – one of his best performances for a long time, from a central role in a five-man Bodmin midfield.

St Austell’s turn to show title nerves

CARLSBERG SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION:

St Austell 1 Stoke Gabriel 1

Are you doing anything on the evening of Wednesday May 4th?

If you’re a lover of local football, clear your diary to make sure you can be at Priory Park to see Bodmin Town take on St Austell in the penultimate game of the season.

Because it is still looking like the title race will go down to the wire after the Lillywhites unexpectedly dropped two home points against second from bottom Stoke Gabriel at Poltair Park this afternoon.

They stretched their lead over Bodmin to four points – but they have played a game more than their rivals, who are in action on Monday at home to Saltash United.

After Lee Whetter’s 25th minute penalty broke the deadlock after a dominant opening spell, St Austell failed to get the second goal which would surely have killed off the game and earned all three points.

They had enough chances – strikers Liam Eddy and Liam Prynn were both guilty of dithering on the ball when they were through on goal – but when you don’t take them, you keep the opposition in the game.

And Stoke Gabriel, who surprised everybody by earning a 0-0 draw at Bodmin ten days ago, grew in confidence in the second half, deservedly equalised in the 67th minute and had enough chances of their own to have nicked another goal.

Only the alert goalkeeping of Jason Chapman kept the visitors out, while at the other end St Austell continued to waste opportunities they would have buried earlier in the season.

Having won 12 of their previous 13 league games, St Austell were hot favourites to win today, but there was a feeling of tension among the crowd of 152 which only increased with every passing miss and minute.

Had Eddy taken the two chances he was presented with inside four minutes early in the first half, the story would almost certainly have been different.

The Lillywhites’ top scorer took advantage of a rare slip by man of the match Frazer Clark in the 16th minute to race into the penalty area but his shot was weak and easily gathered by goalkeeper Dom Aplin.

Four minutes later Eddy was played through by an excellent pass by Martin Watts and while the shot was much more powerful this time, it was straight at Aplin.

The next time a St Austell player was played clear it was Prynn and after he was tripped by Ryan O’Callaghan, Whetter forced the ball in from the resulting penalty, although Aplin did get a hand to the spot kick.

That should have been the sign for the floodgates to open and they almost doubled their lead after 28 minutes with a Whetter header from Chris Reski’s corner which ended on the top of the net.

Two minutes later another Reski corner from the left was met on the volley by Watts, whose stunning strike skimmed the top of the bar.

And five minutes before the break, Eddy drilled a low shot across the face of goal which went just wide after Prynn just failed to get a touch at the far post.

Prynn came close to making it 2-0 in the 57th minute with an attempted chip from ten yards but Stoke keeper Aplin got his fingertips to the ball to lift it over the bar.

Eddy then beat the offside trap in the 61st minute and seemed certain to score but he turned back on himself and by the time he had set himself up for a shot, Stoke had enough defenders back to block the danger.

Stoke broke to the other end and Oliver Booth was given space on the right side of the penalty area. His shot rifled past Chapman but also drifted just wide of the far post.

That warning heralded a change by St Austell, who brought on Josh Grant in place of Prynn, but three minutes later the visitors were level.

Two shots at goal were blocked but the ball broke to Ollie Critchlow on the left side of the penalty area and he lashed a right foot shot into the net.

Critchlow had a great chance to put Stoke ahead in the 75th minute as his pace took him away from Whetter and Ben Williams, but keeper Chapman raced off his line to make a superb blocking tackle.

Three minutes later Ollie Aplin found himself in acres of space through the centre and it took an excellent save from Chapman, diving at full stretch low to his left, to prevent the visitors taking the lead.

Critchlow then drove wide as Stoke continued to press for a winner – but St Austell still had time to create two chances of their own in the last five minutes.

Eddy was beaten in an aerial challenge by the punch of keeper Dom Aplin but the ball fell nicely for substitute Harry Evans, who hit the bar from 15 yards.

And in the first minute of time added on, Grant raced through the middle but he took too much time to transfer the ball from his right foot to his left, allowing the Stoke defenders to race back to clear.

Stoke celebrated with gusto at the final whistle, as they had done at Bodmin. And on both occasions they deserved to, because they battled for their lives against supposedly superior opposition.

For St Austell, it is on to next Tuesday night when in-form Tavistock are the visitors to Poltair.If it wasn’t before today, it now looks more of a must-win game.

But then who knows what Bodmin might do on Monday night . . .

St Austell: Chapman, Martin, Mulready (Evans 71), Whetter, Williams, Broad (Brokenshire 81), Reski, Pople, Eddy, Prynn (Grant 63), Watts. Subs not used: Giles, Penhaligon.

Goal: Lee Whetter (25 pen).

Stoke Gabriel: D Aplin, White, Brown, O’Callaghan, Clark, McEwan, Otterway, Bowker, O Aplin, Critchlow, Booth.

Goal: Critchlow (67).

Yellow card: O’Callaghan (25).

Attendance: 152.

Marriott Man of the Match: Frazer Clark (Stoke Gabriel) – excellent and commanding performance from the young centre half.

Bowker heads Bodmin back on course

CARLSBERG SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION:

Bodmin Town 3 Witheridge 2

When the going gets tough, the tough get going, so the saying goes.

And in Steve Bowker, Bodmin tonight had somebody who put his heart and soul into an individual performance which dragged the home team out of their recent slump.

So it was fitting that Bowker was the one to head the winning goal to move Bodmin to within three points of leaders St Austell with six games to go.

The previous six games had seen an uncharacteristic dip in form and fortune, with only one win coming from them, together with worrying collapses to defeat at Saltash and Ivybridge after establishing early 2-0 leads.

And while tonight’s scoreline might suggest the game was a tight affair, in reality Witheridge’s two goals came from their three shots on target, while Bodmin created numerous chances as they rediscovered their rhythm, especially in the middle of the park.

Although the 4-3 defeat at Ivybridge happened only two days ago, manager Darren Gilbert still found time to decide to shuffle his pack for this game.

Shane Krac, who has been struggling for weeks in his midfield role, was left out altogether and youngster Nick Hurst, who has run himself into the ground in recent matches, was given a breather.

Lance Bailey was drafted into a central role while Bowker, who played up front against Ivybridge, was moved back to the left side of midfield, allowing Adam Carter to be restored to the starting line-up alongside Andrew Neal up front.

One surprise for the Bodmin faithful was to see Kevin Miller missing from the team, for the first time this season. He suffered a knee injury at Ivybridge, so Scott Corderoy, one of the goalkeepers Miller coaches at Torquay, was drafted in.

But he could do nothing about Witheridge’s opening goal in the ninth minute when striker Danny Tapp attempted to put in a cross only to see the ball bounce off his shin and loop over Corderoy into the far corner of the net.

It would have been easy for Bodmin to think ‘here we go again’ but they were level in the 21st minute with an excellent finish by left back Jack Podmore after River Allen had struck the post with a low drive after his initial free kick had rebounded back to him off the wall.

Bodmin should have been awarded a penalty in the 31st minute when Carter was held back inside the area but the referee, who had a strange game, awarded a free kick just outside.

Having got that decision wrong, the official compounded it two minutes later by giving Bodmin a corner when it was clearly a goal kick, and after Neal and Carter had attempts blocked, Tom Chambers dived in to head into the roof of the net to make it 2-1.

Witheridge keeper Joe Moore then made a terrific save to stop Neal’s 42nd minute volley as Bodmin finished the first half well on top.

But the visitors were level inside two minutes of the second half as Bassett cut inside from the left wing and from fully 30 yards tried a curling right foot shot which bounced awkwardly in front of Corderoy and skimmed into the net.

With Witheridge’s only other effort of the game, Tapp sent a wicked shot across the face of the goal in the 57th minute but for the remainder of the game it was all Bodmin.

A Podmore free kick on the hour was brilliantly tipped away for a corner by Moore, then the keeper got down to keep out a zipping low set piece from Bailey.

Witheridge right back Mike Humphreys then saw red with his second yellow card offence, leaving the visitors with only ten men for the last 20 minutes.

And within three minutes Bodmin found their winner. Allen, who had another superb game, produced a left foot cross from the right edge of the penalty area which picked out Bowker on the far post and he rose to head majestically into the net.

Neal, twice, Carter and Bowker all spurned chances to make the last ten minutes more comfortable for the home side but in the end it was three well-earned points.

So six games to go. Next stop in this exciting title race is Poltair Park on Saturday, where St Austell will be looking to open up the six point gap again with a win against second from bottom Stoke Gabriel.

It looks a home banker. But in this title chase, anything seems possible.

Bodmin: Corderoy, Hillson, Podmore, Chambers, Simmonds, Bailey, Matthews, Allen, Carter, Neal, Bowker. Subs (not used): Bevan, Tasker, Jennings, Gilbert.

Goals: Podmore (21), Chambers (33), Bowker (71).

Witheridge: Moore, Humphreys, Avery, Gray, Ibbeson, Dirrane, Langford, Pinnock, Tapp, Bassett, Babb (Charran 71). Subs not used: Kelly, Tucker.

Goals: Tapp (9), Bassett (47).

Yellow cards: Dirrane (41), Humphreys 44 & 68), Bassett (46), Ibbeson (77).

Red card: Humphreys (two yellows, 68).

Referee: Neil Lane.

Marriott Man of the Match: Steve Bowker – his workrate set the example for his team-mates to follow, and he scored a fine winning goal.

Bridge of sighs for Bodmin as they throw it all away

CARLSBERG SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION:

Ivybridge Tn 4 Bodmin Town 3

Bodmin’s alarming, and inexplicable, collapse in form at the crucial stage of another title-chasing season was underlined at Ivybridge tonight.

Ten days ago Darren Gilbert’s men were favourites to pip St Austell to the championship, as they arrived at Saltash’s Kimberley Stadium unbeaten in their previous 27 league games.

They made a great start to that game, racing into a 2-0 lead and were worthy of more goals before, out of the blue, they collapsed spectacularly to be beaten 4-2.

It was such an unusually bad performance that a mystified Gilbert was prepared to write it off as a one-off, a freak result.

But it happened again tonight. Any nerves about whether Bodmin could win the first of their two games in hand on St Austell seemed to be blown away as goals from Andrew Neal and Steve Bowker put them 2-0 ahead after nine minutes.

The Bodmin Town people have come to expect would not only have held onto their lead, they would have added two or three more goals to their tally.

Instead, this Bodmin side incredibly found themselves 3-2 down before half-time; take nothing away from Ivybridge striker Sam Stevens, he scored a fantastic hat-trick.

But some of the Bodmin defending left a lot to be desired. Stevens almost apologetically lobbed in his first goal in the 14th minute after the visitors stood off him as several players concentrated instead on an offside appeal.

Neal almost restored Bodmin’s two-goal cushion after 37 minutes with a quickly executed volley from 20 yards but Ivybridge keeper Dan Batten reacted brilliantly to tip it around the post.

And the home side were level four minutes later with a spectacular overhead kick from Stevens which had the home supporters in raptures.

They celebrated even more on the stroke of half-time as Bodmin again left Stevens in too much space and he took the opportunity to volley past the unprotected Kevin Miller.

Bodmin boss Gilbert emerged from the dressing room for the second half shaking his head in disbelief at his side’s collapse but he had barely got back to the dugout before Ivybridge came desperately close to making it 4-2.

A brilliant left foot free kick by Steve Sutton from 20 yards was destined for the top corner before Miller extended his left hand to somehow keep the ball out. Even then, Reece Shanley should have scored from the rebound but blasted over from six yards.

Neal, Bodmin’s best player by a distance, produced a superb cross in the 52nd minute which appeared to be picking out the unmarked Bowker on the far post but keeper Batten raced off his line to catch the ball at full stretch.

Neal was a threat again on the hour, jinking his way past several challenges on the edge of the box on the left but this time he chose the wrong option, trying to curl a shot in when Bowker and Sam Matthews were unmarked in the middle.

As Bodmin poured forward, they gambled on leaving gaps at the back and it cost them a fourth goal in the 72nd minute when in a one-on-one, their former player, Lee Doel, put pressure on Steve Simmonds and then robbed him before slotting the ball past Miller to make it 4-2.

There seemed no way back for Bodmin but they were thrown a lifeline two minutes later as Batten, who had been brilliant to that point, upended Matthews in the box and Neal slotted home the penalty. The only mystery was why the Ivybridge keeper wasn’t shown at least a yellow card by the referee.

Bodmin were crying out for more firepower but they left it until 12 minutes from time to introduce Adam Carter, who has scored 36 goals this season. Unless he was unfit, he should have been on much earlier.

Ivybridge defended heroically at times as they battled to hang on but Bodmin should have been level in the second minute of time added on as Sam Hillson produced an excellent cross from the right which floated over Batten to leave Matthews with an easy header from six yards – but he put his effort wide.

There was still time for Carter to drill a low right foot shot wide before Ivybridge could start to celebrate a well deserved and famous victory.

So Bodmin remain six points behind leaders St Austell, but now with only one game in hand. Not so long ago, the Lillywhites lost 3-2 at Plymouth Parkway and some said their title hopes were finished.

But as Phil Lafferty’s side have held their nerve, Bodmin have gone to pieces. It’s hard to put your finger on exactly what’s gone wrong in the last six games, which have brought only one win.

The players still seem to be giving their all, perhaps trying too hard at times. Their attacks do have a sense of desperation, and certainly some of their defending has left a lot to be desired, especially tonight.

Bodmin have to pick themselves up quickly because they are back in action on Thursday evening, at home to Witheridge. A must win game.

Pressure. What pressure?

Ivybridge Town: Batten, Marker, Iles, Shanley, Zimmerman, Bromhead, Rowe, Doel, Stevens, Brown, Sutton (Phillips 85).

Goals: Stevens (14, 41, 44), Doel (72).

Yellow card: Doel (76).

Bodmin Town: Miller, Hillson, Tasker (Bevan 74), Chambers, Simmonds, Krac (Podmore 58), Matthews, Allen, Bowker (Carter 78), Neal, Hurst. Sub not used: Bailey.

Goals: Neal (7 & 74, pen), Bowker (9).

Yellow card: Podmore (78).

Referee: Sam Littlefair.

Marriott Man of the Match: Sam Stevens – great hat trick and always a handful for the Bodmin defence.

It’s catch-up for Bodmin as title race reaches crunch time

CARLSBERG SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION:

Bodmin Town 3 Torpoint Athletic 0

After a four-game slump when they dropped nine points out of 12, title chasers Bodmin rediscovered their winning touch today with a hard-earned victory over mid-table Torpoint at Priory Park.

And with leaders St Austell winning 2-1 at Launceston thanks to an own goal and a superb Liam Eddy finish, it was a timely return to form.

The Lillywhites still lead by six points from Bodmin, whose two games in hand will be used up in the next five days with a trip to Ivybridge on Tuesday and a home game against Witheridge on Thursday.

So by the time St Austell take to Poltair Park next Saturday for their game against second from bottom Stoke Gabriel, Bodmin could be top because they have a superior goal difference by 19 goals.

But of course they will have to win both games. Easier said than done.

It was by no means vintage Bodmin today but that didn’t matter on this occasion. The three points were what the home side were after, however they were achieved, and in the end sheer hard work and persistence saw them through.

A third minute goal from top scorer Andrew Neal settled the nerves for a while but they had to wait until the 66th minute for a vital second goal, a penalty converted by Neal after substitute Steve Bowker had been bundled over.

The third goal, as good a finish as it was by the talented wing back Nick Hurst, was the last kick of the game and gave the result a more emphatic look than was fair on Torpoint.

Dan Cole’s side worked hard and they really should have taken advantage of some sloppiness in the Bodmin back line after 58 minutes when Kirk Smith was left with only Kevin Miller to beat but dragged his shot wide of the far post.

Torpoint also felt they should have been awarded a 61st minute penalty when Bodmin substitute Shane Krac appeared to handle the ball, but referee Ryan Cornelius, who had an excellent game, waved away their loud appeals.

With only a 1-0 lead at that stage, Bodmin briefly looked edgy at the back, but Neal’s penalty strike served to calm the nerves for the remainder of the game.

So who is your money on now to win the championship? St Austell have six games left, and the next three are all at home. They will be expected to beat Stoke Gabriel and Helston, while they should be good enough on their own pitch to take at least a point from Tavistock.

They complete their campaign with three away games – all three of which look difficult fixtures. Cullompton on a Bank Holiday Monday is awkward in many ways, not least the journey to get there.

And two days after that, Phil Lafferty’s side travel to Bodmin for what is increasingly looking like a title decider. Leave Wednesday May 4th free in your diaries.

Should St Austell still require something from their last game, a trip to Tavistock is perhaps not the sort of fixture you would hand-pick.

After this week, and with no Saturday fixture, Bodmin have tough home games against Saltash United (Monday April 25) and Plymouth Parkway (Wednesday April 27) before easier looking away games at Exmouth and Stoke Gabriel.

St Austell is their last home game, followed three days later by a final day trip to Cullompton.

It’s going to be tight isn’t it? Plenty of twists and turns still to come.

Bodmin: Miller, Hurst, Podmore (Jewell 70), Chambers, Simmonds, Hillson, Matthews, Allen, Carter (Bowker 64), Neal, Bailey (Krac 59). Sub not used: Gilbert.

Goals: Neal (3 & 66, pen), Hurst (90+4).

Yellow card: Neal (40).

Torpoint: England, McCreery, Payne (Sam 79), Simmons, Swain, Card (King 84), Young, Tattersall, Broomfield (D Smith 46), Rosenquest, K Smith.

Referee: Ryan Cornelius.

Marriott Man of the Match: River Allen (Bodmin) – ran himself into the ground in an attempt to find a crucial second goal for his side. A class act.

Blankety blank at Bolitho

CARLSBERG SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION:

Plymouth Parkway 0 Bodmin Town 0

THE race for the title is going to go down to the wire. That much has become clear in the last few games as Bodmin’s games in hand advantage has been whittled away.

Tonight’s goalless draw at Bolitho Park moved Darren Gilbert’s title chasers a point closer to leaders St Austell, but still six points behind with only two games now in hand.

A point at Plymouth Parkway, one of Bodmin’s fiercest rivals in the premier division in recent years, should not be taken lightly. It’s only a couple of weeks since St Austell suffered defeat there.

But, based on the way they played tonight, Bodmin will know that this was two points dropped as they extended their sequence without a league win to four games.

After the disaster which was Saturday’s 4-2 collapse at mid-table Saltash United, Bodmin picked themselves up, dusted themselves down, and produced a performance more like the ones we have come to expect.

They were tight at the back – this was one of goalkeeper Kevin Miller’s quietest games of the season – they looked lively in midfield and strikers Adam Carter and Andrew Neal worked hard to find a breakthrough which never came.

Things just aren’t going for them at the moment and they will be hoping that their fortunes return for their remaining nine games, starting at home to Torpoint Athletic on Saturday.

Parkway should take plenty of credit for their performance too. Their squad was down to the bare bones, to such an extent that regular goalkeeper Ben Elphick came off the bench in the second half to play up front.

Parkway’s players gave everything they had, and they deserved the acclaim of their supporters at the final whistle. It can’t be often that Parkway are cheered off after being held to a goalless draw at home, but on this occasion the players earned the plaudits.

The way the Plymouth side battled underlined again how difficult Bodmin are going to find their run-in. Bodmin still appear to be the team everyone wants to beat, or at least stop, and there are plenty of similar battles to come.

In truth Bodmin should have had the points secured before half-time. They were desperately close to opening the scoring in the 14th minute when a great cross from Neal, which just eluded Steve Bowker, seemed to fall nicely for Carter six yards out by John Heveran made an excellent last-ditch challenge to stop the ball going in.

River Allen’s 20-yard free kick in the 23rd minute could only be parried out by Parkway keeper Dean Smith but the normally deadly Neal lifted his volley over the bar from close range.

Lance Bailey, one of several former Parkway players in the Bodmin starting line-up, produced a superb curling effort in the 27th minute which bounced against the bar, and as Neal waited to finish off the rebound, the ball descended from the sky to strike the bar again before the ball was cleared.

It seemed to sum up Bodmin’s frustration, which continued with Allen and Bowker wasting good opportunities, before the excellent Nick Hurst left Parkway right back Callum Thompson for dead on the left side of the penalty area before providing the perfect low ball across the face of goal but there was no Bodmin player there to tap in.

By comparison, the second half was short of clear chances despite Bodmin’s increasingly desperate pressure, with Carter and Neal superbly kept quiet by Parkway’s back line.

There was always the chance that Parkway could nick a winner on the break, but Tom Chambers and Steve Simmonds were back to their commanding best at the heart of the defence and rarely let the opposition see sight of the target.

And so we move on to Saturday, with St Austell travelling to Launceston while Bodmin return to Priory Park for the visit of Torpoint Athletic, who won 3-1 at Helston tonight.

It really is building up to an exciting finish in the title race. And don’t forget, Bodmin and St Austell have to meet each other in their penultimate fixtures of the season on Wednesday May 4th.

Parkway: D Smith, Thompson, Stringer, Landricombe, Heveran, Bass, Colwell, Lewis, M Smith (Elphick 46), Coulton (Farnham 82), Martindale. Subs not used: Watson, Hart, Kane.

Bodmin: Miller, Hillson, Podmore, Chambers, Simmonds, Bailey (Matthews 71), Bowker (Jennings 76), Allen, Carter, Neal, Hurst. Subs not used: Bevan, Gilbert.

Referee: Nigel D’Arcy.

Marriott Man of the Match: Nick Hurst – always a threat in wide positions and probably just pipped River Allen for the award.

Games left:

St Austell (7). Sat Apr 16, Launceston (a); Sat 23, Stoke Gabriel (h); Tues 26, Tavistock (h); Sat 30, Helston (h); Mon May 2, Cullompton (a); Wed 4, Bodmin (a); Fri 6, Tavistock (a).

Bodmin (9). Sat Apr 16, Torpoint (h); Tues 19, Ivybridge (a); Thurs 21, Witheridge (h); Mon 25, Saltash Utd (h); Wed 27, Parkway (h); Sat 30, Exmouth (a); Mon May 2, Stoke Gabriel (a); Wed 4, St Austell (h); Sat 7, Cullompton (a).

Are Bodmin’s title hopes in Ashes?

CARLSBERG SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION:

Saltash United 4 Bodmin Town 2

LET’S be honest – this result has been coming.

After being held to home draws by Falmouth Town and Stoke Gabriel, Bodmin’s first league defeat of the season was just around the corner, and just down the road, at Kimberley Stadium this afternoon.

And while all credit should be given to Saltash for a rousing second half fightback, the story here is Bodmin Town, beaten for the first time in 28 league outings in 2015-16.

Everybody’s starting to wonder what’s gone wrong with them, having dropped seven of the last nine points available.

I have seen those last three matches. What strikes me is that key players are either struggling for form, or carrying injuries, and that somehow confidence, which Bodmin have rarely been short of, is ebbing away.

Their bad patch of form has come at a critical time and they now trail St Austell by seven points after the Lillywhites secured a hard-earned 2-0 win over Exmouth at Poltair Park.

Yes, Bodmin still have three games in hand. But – and it is now a big but – they will have to win all three to have a points lead over their hot rivals going into the last few games.

And on current form, you have to say that looks unlikely.

They are also starting to hit disciplinary problems, with two players (Shane Jewell and Nick Hurst) facing suspensions in two weeks’ time after straight red cards in the late stages as Bodmin lost their discipline as well as their shape.

They appeared to be back to their best in the first half this afternoon, racing into a 2-0 lead inside the opening 20 minutes thanks to goals by Sam Matthews and Nick Hurst.

Perhaps the big moment of the match came a minute after the second goal when Hurst was put clear inside the penalty area but failed to squeeze the ball under the body of Saltash keeper Simon May, who made an excellent save.

At 3-0 in the 20th minute, that would almost certainly have been game over, and Bodmin had further excellent chances to build on their lead with Shane Krac firing into the side netting after being put through by an exquisite Hurst flicked pass, while Steve Bowker was unable to finish off Andrew Neal’s excellent cut back to him ten yards out.

But Bodmin’s failure to kill the game off was punished in first half stoppage time when Saltash reduced the arrears, Sam Farrant volleying in from the edge of the box after the ball had only been half cleared from a corner.

Sam Hughes came close to making it 2-2 before the half-time whistle went, but the Ashes were level ten minutes into the second half when Chris Wright arrived at the far post to tap in a Richard Maddison cross from the right which was allowed to float across the face of goal.

Bodmin almost restored their lead on the hour but Bowker’s close range effort was blocked on the line and within two minutes Saltash went ahead for the first time.

Maddison’s mazy run took him to the edge of the penalty area and with Bodmin defenders holding back, he took the opportunity to fire the ball past Bodmin keeper Kevin Miller to make it 3-2.

Bodmin brought on a third striker in Adam Carter and piled on the pressure but the closest they came to an equaliser was when a Hurst shot was saved by the legs of May.

Maddison, Saltash’s second half inspiration, then found himself in plenty of space wide on the right and his inch-perfect cross was met with a superb glancing header by Sam Hughes to put the Ashes 4-2 ahead in the 70th minute.

Carter had a shot cleared off the line as Bodmin attempted to haul their way back into the game before the visitors lost their discipline in the last ten minutes and had two players shown straight red cards.

Even Steve Simmonds was booked – his first yellow card of the season I am told.

Substitute Shane Jewell’s nine minutes on the pitch came to an abrupt end when the referee sent him off for dissent in the 87th minute and to rub salt into Bodmin’s open wounds, Hurst was ordered off two minutes later for a ridiculous and unnecessary knee high challenge on Farrant.

As much as Bodmin might have felt the referee – who handed out six yellow cards (three for each team) – lost the plot, they have to look much closer to home for the reasons why they lost this match.

Some of their most influential players need to take a good look in the mirror and ask themselves if they really want to win the league this season.

A good place to start showing that they do, would be at Plymouth Parkway on Tuesday. The first of Bodmin’s games in hand.

Saltash: May, King, Sargison, O’Brien, Menhenick, Bance (Trott 63), Maddison (Youldon 90+1), Farrant, Wright (Carey 77), Hughes, Edwards. Subs not used: Casey, Wickens.

Goals: Farrant (45+1), Wright (55), Maddison (62), Hughes (70).

Yellow cards: Bance (45+2), Farrant (75), Carey (86).

Bodmin: Miller, Podmore, Bevan (Jewell 76), Chambers, Simmonds, Allen, Matthews (Carter 63), Krac, Bowker, Neal, Hurst. Subs not used: Bailey, Gilbert, Brown.

Goals: Matthews (13), Hurst (19).

Yellow cards: Krac (45+2), Simmonds (82), Podmore (86).

Red cards: Jewell (87), Hurst (89).

Referee: Ben Chance.

Marriott Man of the Match: Richard Maddison – excellent second half display from midfield, creating one goal and scoring another.

Two points dropped this time

CARLSBERG SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION:

Bodmin Town 0 Stoke Gabriel 0

IF Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Falmouth Town was a point gained after being 2-0 down, tonight’s goalless affair against struggling Stoke Gabriel at Priory Park was definitely two points dropped by title chasing Bodmin.

The Devon visitors weren’t the only ones celebrating afterwards as retweets and likes of the result from many connected to rivals St Austell poured onto Twitter.

This result leaves Bodmin four points behind St Austell at the top of the table – and although Darren Gilbert’s side have three games in hand, any more performances like this one will render that apparent advantage worthless.

Instead of the usual on the pitch talk and warm down after the game, Gilbert and his assistant Lee Hobbs had the players back in the dressing room pretty quickly and it didn’t sound pleasant from the outside.

Gilbert wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to Bodmin Town and he won’t have found this performance acceptable in any way, shape or form.

All credit to Stoke Gabriel, who are fighting for their premier division survival. They defended brilliantly and competed well all over the field.

But a team boasting a golden strike force of Andrew Neal and Adam Carter, backed up by Shane Krac, Sam Matthews and Steve Bowker, should still have been good enough to force a win from this fixture.

In truth, too many of their so-called star players failed to perform. Krac, normally such an influential contributor in central midfield, had a shocker and should have been replaced well before the end. The only positive thing you could say about his performance was that he didn’t hide.

Carter hasn’t looked right for weeks – a calf injury has not helped – and he was hauled off midway through the second half after goalkeeper Kevin Miller was clearly heard shouting ‘get him off’ in the general direction of the Bodmin bench after what looked like a half-hearted challenge by the big striker.

Matthews returned from illness but hardly got a kick, playing wide on the left for much of the game. In the first half, particularly, Bodmin chose to play 90 per cent of the time along the right wing, with right back Jack Podmore and right midfield man Nick Hurst seeing much more of the ball with little success.

And even though Stoke Gabriel offered little threat as an attacking force, Bodmin’s defenders still managed to create some moments of panic out of nothing, including a Lance Bailey back-header which produced an undignified attempt by Miller to prevent a corner.

From the off, Bodmin looked edgy, as if they thought they needed to score as soon as possible. There was no sense of calm or control in their approach, either on the pitch or from the bench. Midfield was often completely ignored in favour of long, hopeful balls from the back towards Carter and Neal which created nothing.

After an abysmal first half, Bodmin at least looked livelier at the start of the second half an they came close to breaking the deadlock in the 48th minute when Neal’s low pass from the right to the near post saw Hurst fire a shot against the post.

But Stoke Gabriel should have scored themselves in the 61st minute when a corner from the right picked out left back Ryan O’Callaghan unmarked six yards out but he completely missed the ball when a touch would have sent it into the net.

Bodmin brought on new signing Luke Adlen, a left-sided midfield man, for Carter as they stepped up the pressure and it took an excellent save from Dom Aplin to deny Neal from close range in the 78th minute.

But that was as close as Bodmin came to breaking the deadlock – and they now have tough away games at Saltash United and Plymouth Parkway in the next six days.

Bodmin: Miller, Podmore, Bevan (Jennings 84), Bailey, Simmonds, Krac, Hurst, Bowker, Carter (Adlen 65), Neal, Matthews. Subs not used: Chambers, Brown, Stone.

Stoke Gabriel: D Aplin, White, O’Callaghan, Ashworth, Clark, Thompson, Bowker, Booth, Critchlow (Brown 69), O Aplin, Jones. Subs not used: McEwan, Porter.

Yellow card: Brown (91).

Referee: Mark Senior.

Marriott Man of the Match: Dom Aplin – the Stoke Gabriel marshalled his defence well and produced a great save to deny Andrew Neal late on.

Title race: where will it be won and lost?

Somebody, somewhere suggested last week that the race for the Carlsberg South West Peninsula League premier division title was all but over following St Austell’s 3-2 defeat at Plymouth Parkway.

The suggestion was that the Lillywhites’ fifth league defeat of the season had left the road clear for rivals Bodmin Town to march on to championship success.

But football has never been as straightforward as that. Only two days after that result at Bolitho Park, Bodmin had to call on all of their battling qualities to scrape a 2-2 draw at home to mid-table Falmouth Town after being 2-0 down.

Meanwhile, St Austell bounced back with a 2-0 win at out of form Exmouth, a result which took Phil Lafferty’s men to the top of the table by two points.

Yes, the reigning champions have played three more games than Bodmin, but when things get to crunch time in any season, points in the bag are not to be sniffed at.

So here we are, at crunch time. And here are the two title rivals’ remaining fixtures:

ST AUSTELL (P29, Pts 70): Tues Apr 5, Ivybridge Town, a; Sat Apr 9, Exmouth, h; Sat Apr 16, Launceston, a; Sat Apr 23, Stoke Gabriel, h; Sat Apr 30, Helston Ath, h; Mon May 2, Cullompton Rgrs, a; Wed May 4, Bodmin, a; Fri May 6, Tavistock, a.

BODMIN TOWN (P26, Pts 68): Wed Apr 6, Stoke Gabriel, h; Sat Apr 9, Saltash Utd, a; Tues Apr 12, Plymouth Parkway, a; Sat Apr 16, Torpoint Ath, h; Tues Apr 19, Ivybridge, a; Thurs Apr 21, Witheridge, h; Mon Apr 25, Saltash Utd, h; Wed Apr 27, Plymouth Parkway, h; Sat Apr 30, Exmouth Town, a; Mon May 2, Stoke Gabriel, a; Wed May 4, St Austell, h; Sat May 7, Cullompton Rgrs, a.

St Austell have nine games remaining, the first of which comes tomorrow night at Ivybridge Town, where a win would put them five points ahead of Bodmin, who are at home to fifth from bottom Stoke Gabriel on Wednesday.

What strikes me immediately is that after tomorrow night, St Austell have a straight run of Saturday fixtures for the rest of April. Given the winter we suffered, it is remarkable that they have no more midweek fixtures in the month.

Meanwhile, Bodmin must fit in nine games in April, with midweek fixtures every week. That will stretch Darren Gilbert’s squad, which was down to the bare bones against Falmouth on Saturday.

So I would argue that, far from being over, the title race could go right down to the wire.

After the Bodmin v Falmouth result on Saturday, I am almost reluctant to try to predict results for the two big teams’ remaining fixtures. But I’ll give it a try . . .

I can see St Austell winning six of their next seven games. I am going to say the only one they may drop points in is the home game against Tavistock, which I think could well be a draw.

That would take the Lillywhites to 89 points from 36 games with two to play – away to Bodmin and away to Tavistock.

I can see Bodmin winning seven of their next nine games. I think the only ones which will cause them trouble are the two against Plymouth Parkway, where I envisage they will take one point from six.

That would take them to 90 points from 36 games with two to play – home to St Austell and away to Cullompton Rangers.

So when the two title rivals meet at Priory Park on Wednesday May 4, I predict there will be only one point between them, and fixtures level at 36.

In such a scenario, a Bodmin win in that game would secure them the title; a draw would take the race down to the final fixtures; a St Austell win would mean a victory in their final game at Tavistock would mean they would retain the title.

That’s how close I can see this championship chase being. So, far from being all but over, the title race is alive and kicking. And the clash between the two teams could be crucial.

Let me be the first to say . . . May the 4th be with you.

All white in the end as off colour Bodmin rescue point and their unbeaten record

Bodmin Town 2 Falmouth Town 2

Something didn’t feel quite right on arrival at Priory Park this afternoon – were the Bodmin players really warming up in their all-white away kit?

And was River Allen sporting a smart new haircut only five days after having his long locks pulled by Godolphin Atlantic goalkeeper Shaun Semmens during the Cornwall Senior Cup final?

And why was there no sign of key players like captain Tom Chambers, top scorer Andrew Neal and midfield maestro, birthday boy Sammy Matthews?

All will be explained later on – well, perhaps not Allen’s haircut – but it all added up to a strange afternoon, leading to an uncharacteristically disjointed performance from sheepish Carlsberg South West Peninsula League leaders Bodmin.

Going into the game unbeaten in their 25 previous league games this season, Bodmin found themselves 2-0 down soon after half-time and it was no fluke, because player-boss Andrew Westgarth’s Falmouth side had been well worth their lead.

Westgarth himself put his side ahead in the 16th minute with a close range finish – his 100th goal in the SWPL – only five minutes after the visitors had been denied what looked a certain penalty when Glen Squires went down under a challenge from Bodmin keeper Kevin Miller.

And when Mike Vanes kept his nerve to fire a right foot shot past Miller in the 51st minute, Falmouth looked well on their way to a famous victory.

Bodmin had brought on reserve striker Dan Jennings at the start of the second half for left back Lee Bevan to give them more of a threat up front, but for the first 25 minutes there was little sign of an improvement or a change in fortune for the home side.

That arrived in the 70th minute when the referee judged Dan Green to have tripped Sam Hillson inside the penalty area, and Adam Carter, subdued and out of touch to that point, calmly slotted the spot kick home to give Bodmin renewed hope.

There then followed a long spell of pressure from the home side, including corner after corner, but they had to wait until the 88th minute to find an equaliser.

Hillson, one of the few Bodmin players who did themselves justice today, started the move with a precision pass into the feet of Carter just inside the box. The big striker brought the ball under control and then laid it into the path of Jennings, who produced a low shot which was just too powerful for Falmouth keeper Ryan Barnes.

That was Jennings’ first senior goal for the club, and a timely one at that. He will always give 100 per cent and has the happy knack of scoring, so was well worth getting him to sign forms with the first team earlier in the week.

There was enough injury time for Bodmin to have snatched a winner, but that would have been hugely unfair on Falmouth, who took their chances well and defended supremely for the most part.

On the face of it, this was two points dropped for Bodmin in their quest to regain the league title, especially as reigning champions St Austell won 2-0 at Exmouth to go top by two points.

But those who saw the game will know Bodmin played a great big Get Out of Jail card today to salvage a point, and who knows how important that point will turn out to be?

Bodmin, of course, have three games in hand on St Austell and that has to be looked upon as an advantage. But as we move towards crunch time, points in the bag can often be more precious than games in hand.

And with the likes of St Austell and Plymouth Parkway (twice) still to play in their last 12 matches, Bodmin will know they still have a lot of work to do.

So, why were Bodmin playing in their all-white kit in a home fixture? Apparently Falmouth, who play in similar yellow/gold colours to Bodmin, had a problem with their away kit and asked Darren Gilbert if they would mind swapping.

And where were those key three players? Chambers and Neal were guests at weddings, while Matthews, supposed to be celebrating his 33rd birthday, rang in sick this morning.

Add injured duo Jordan Dingle and Lewis Tasker to the absentees, and you can understand why Bodmin looked a little stretched.

But they still had enough good players available and would have expected to have played better than they did.

They will hope to bounce back on Wednesday evening at home to Stoke Gabriel; by that time, they could be five points behind St Austell, should the Lillywhites win at Ivybridge on Tuesday night.

Bodmin: Miller, Hillson, Bevan (Jennings 46), Bailey, Simmonds, Krac, Hurst, Allen, Carter, Bowker, Jewell. Subs not used: Podmore, Brown, Gilbert.

Goals: Carter (70, pen), Jennings (88).

Falmouth: Barnes, Ward, Timmons, Richardson, Cooper, Pope, Green, Vanes, Squires, Westgarth, Tripcony.

Goals: Westgarth (16), Vanes (51).

Referee: Neil Hunnisett.

Marriott Man of the Match: Mike Vanes – excellent contribution in Falmouth’s midfield and took his goal very well.

Footnote: The game marked Ross Pope’s 350th appearance for Falmouth Town.