This was officially our last away game of the season and so it felt quite strange to be marking the pitch and putting up the nets waiting for the opposition to arrive. The opposition were Newlyn Non-Athletico and their continuing pitch troubles had meant a switch in venue for our penultimate (that means 'the one before the last' for the more educationally challenged amongst us!) game of the season. Newlyn normally struggle to get all their players a game but their now famous squad rotation was not required for this one as they arrived with a bare eleven, a linesman and a dog! Having kept a watchful eye on their season via their excellent and entertaining website we knew they were not a side to be taken lightly and although they have their fair share of 'the more mature' footballer they always give 100% and are more than capable of playing some nice football on their day.

With our young superstar left back R.Stephens missing due to a midweek injury playing for his Sunday side (or was it falling awkwardly from the wardrobe playing for his girlfriend Sam's bedroom side!) Threemilestone took to the field with an otherwise unchanged side from the usual suspects, with Tim Grose dropping into the back and Anthony Caddy switching out to the right with Lee Fairley on the left. TMS started nervously and it was Newlyn who were quickest to find their game creating several early chances for their make shift forwards. Marc and Dan Taylor both went close with chances of their own as TMS started to make a game of it and it was Marc who eventually hit the opener after some clever 'Ronaldo-esque' footwork found him with just the keeper to beat and he duly slipped it past the outstretched hand. The lead was doubled shortly afterwards following some great interplay between the Stones midfield before Lee Fairley's cushioned header set up Taylor for his second. Newlyn's keeper made several more crucial saves and Newlyn carved out a few half-chances of their own before the half time whistle blew and the sides trotted off with the score at two nil to the visitors, no the home side, oh bugger you know what I mean.

The second half was a more sedate affair with Newlyn looking a spent force from the off and being restricted to a few goalward breaks down the wing. With Marc taylor now just three goals short of his fifty for the season it was ironic that it was Dan Taylor who scored the Stones third with a well taken header following a clever quick free kick from Steve Howson. Strangely being three goals down seemed to be the wake up call Newlyn needed and they played some of their best football of the match in a ten minute spell that saw them go close to scoring on several occasions, twice they were denied by the linesmans flag both of which were correct decisions from my vantage point on the sidelines but it didn't stop the usual cheating linesman outbursts (why is it always the oppositions defence or goalkeeper that shout the loudest?). TMS then made three substitutions in five minutes with Counter , Underhill and myself replacing Caddy, Fairley and man-of-the-match Phil Todd, Newlyn looked to their bench, but the Ref wasn't gonna let them bring their dog on and so the fresh legs swung things back in the Stones favour. A well taken second goal in two games for Ian Jay made it four and when I back heeled Steve Howson's shot come cross past the stationary keeper for number five Newlyn were beaten and the three points well and truly secured.

We have a small break now until Thursday week when we entertain Camborne School of Mines in our last fixture of what's been a fantastic promotion winning season. So with no fixture on Saturday we're planning a team outing to watch Camborne in action and play our new favourite game of spot the senior player in Chacewater's line-up, or indeed the much harder game of spot the real second team player!

Jeremy Hocking, Web Manager