Illogan Royal British Legion
2 St Day 1 (at Porthleven)
Cornwall Combination League – League Cup Final
My old mucker Dave is a mine of information.
I was on the phone to him a couple of weeks before the
Cornwall trip, bemoaning the lack of games on the Saturday and Monday of the
Easter weekend. I’d only got Ludgvan on the Saturday, and on the Monday it was
a choice of an early start at Launceston or an even longer jaunt to Tavistock.
Neither of which filled me with much glee from a travelling perspective.
I couldn’t understand the dearth of games, until Dave
explained to me that Easter is Cup Final weekend in Cornwall, I just had to
look in the right places to find the games!
Two options presented themselves to me, I could head to
Bodmin on the Monday for the Senior Cup Final, or I could stay a bit more local
and head round the coast to Porthleven to watch the Cornwall Combination League
Cup Final. I could do both, but to be honest, I’d promised the Hatt’s that I
would only do football on one of the days, so I chose Sunday.
I chose Sunday because it was closer, because I’ve always
wanted to go to Porthleven and never had the opportunity, plus, I’d heard good
things from an atmosphere and an occasion perspective about the ‘Combo’ Cup
Final.
Porthleven are one of those clubs that have fascinated me
somewhat over the years, probably because back when Belper Town had something
of a love affair with the FA Vase, I remember thinking Falmouth Town was a long
way to go for a game, even when you win 5-1. But, when I saw Hucknall Town had
to go that little bit further to get to Porthleven in the Fifth Round a few
years later, I was curious.
Porthleven won the game at Gala Park 1-0, and went on to
lose to Taunton Town in the quarter final, but the name stuck with me.
Now then, the Cup Final was being contested by Illogan Royal
British Legion, which is a few miles outside Redruth, and St Day, which is also just
outside Redruth, albeit a bit closer! Illogan sat seventh in the league table while St Day sat
fifth, it looked on paper to be a tight game, but, St Day went into the game on
the back of a fourteen game winning run.
I arrived at the ground forty minutes before kick off and
the place was very busy, the car parks were full, buses (including a double
decker) were parked outside the ground while the pub over the road looked to be
doing a roaring trade. With no spaces in the near vicinity it was back up the
hill and onto a cul-de-sac to grab a space.
The weather was still stunning, and with a crowd of over 400
in the ground, it was buzzing with expectation, while sales in the bar of cans
of Lager or Dark Fruits were looking very promising indeed! Crowd wise, St Day
were in the majority, and certainly seemed the more boisterous, with the
Illogan firm seeming a bit more reserved.
The ground is lovely. Once through the entrance, you enter
behind the goal with the clubhouse and dressing rooms right next to you, as you
move round what is something of an oval, the only stand sits on the half way
line with a row of seats to the rear. As you move round behind the far goal the
grass starts to bank until you reach the side opposite the stand where you have
a steep grassed bank all the way down to the pitch. Not dissimilar to St
Blazey, it offered a superb view of the game, and with the bulk of the crowd on
the bank enjoying the sun, it was my choice of viewing point.
The pitch was in excellent condition, and with floodlights
as well, Porthleven will be making the move to Step 6 next season, a move that
is both right and somewhat overdue in my opinion, this is a great club with a
great infrastructure.
But today was all about the ‘Combo’ Cup, a game that traditionally is played on Easter Sunday, and always at one of the better appointed senior grounds in the County. Porthleven has been used regularly, as has Penzance, while Helston, Illogan and Hayle have all had the honour of hosting the game in recent seasons. Game wise, to be fair, the
first half wasn’t the greatest of spectacles with little in the way of
goalscoring chances, albeit St Day did have the upper hand in terms of possession. The one goal that did come went the way of Illogan when a
long punt was headed over his own goalkeeper by St Day defender.
St Day came back fighting the in the second half and equalised
through a great shot from Chris Dobson. The game continued to ebb and flow with
not much in the way of clear opportunities, and with extra time looking a
certainty (and me in trouble for a late return), Steve Abbott-Smith powered home
a header in the 88th minute from a corner for Illogan.
Several minutes of added on time were played, and as much as
St Day battled to try and salvage something late in the game, Illogan were
organised and held firm, victory was theirs.
I made haste at the final whistle as Illogan celebrated and
St Day sank to their knees. A really enjoyable afternoon, and indeed occasion,
at a great venue, thanks for the heads up Dave!
Now then, how can I work on Mrs H and see if I can swing a
trip to Bodmin tomorrow………..