Saturday 19th April 2025 ko 11:00

St Piran League Division One East

NANPEAN ROVERS 6 (Oldham 5 36 Brown 35 Best 85 86 Lawrence 90+1)

ROCHE AFC 0

Att 432

Advance Ticket for all games on the hop £55

Entry & Programme £3

Saturday on the hop dawned and the ground, with all due respect to all the other host clubs over Easter, we all anticipated visiting the most. For the person that’s been following this blog for a while may remember Robyn and I visiting the glory that is the former china clay pit near St Austell 5 years ago. Such is the reputation of Victoria Bottoms that it created an issue in the minds of a certain kind of groundhopper.

It’s the type that absolutely has to have a programme available to count the ground. Nanpean don’t do programmes, and why should they, so the ground in effect became off-limits for the paper-chasers. But in any serious groundhop event, programme production is mandatory- you can imagine how many ears pricked up!

There was one issue with that, and that was the deluges of the previous day. Both the pitches at St Day and Wadebridge had seen the level of rain that on a normal day would have seen a postponement, and china clay and rain really don’t mix. We all saw Nanpean’s tweet, and felt the anguish.

The fact that the game took place is due to Nanpean’s volunteers getting to the ground and working on the pitch to make absolutely certain the game happened. But that is of course only half the battle; the other half is to make the most of the opportunity that a 400-plus crowd brings.

That they did in spades, bacon rolls rolled off the barbecue, and bottles of local ales sold as quickly as they always do to groundhoppers. And all the while I watched people walk around with the silly grins that you only see at bucket list grounds- and in case you’re wondering that included me!

I should mention the good folk at Roche AFC, it was good to see them get up early to fulfil this fixture when there was little or no chance the favour ever being returned. I’d observe that Trezaise Road is another wonderful ground even if you can no longer climb Roche Rock so if you get the chance do go and lend your support.

But the morning unquestionably belonged to Nanpean Rovers who were good value for that 6-0 win. That wasn’t unexpected, Nanpean finished fourth and were promoted while poor Roche finished rock bottom on a horrifying 7 points.

We left bound for Bodmin with me in reflective mood. I wondered if any of those who have to have a programme looked at their morning and questioned why an 8 page programme made all the difference to their decision to visit? Some folks of course are more reflective than others I suppose….