This meeting between two teams on the fringe of the Championship race at the start of play turned out to be something of a damp squib with both sides cancelling each other out, which led to very little goalmouth action or excitement.The home side did however create the better of the first half chances and they were two goals to the good after twenty five minutes thanks to striker Michael O’Neill. After a slow start the lanky striker is beginning to come into his own and his two goals were testimony to his predatory  instincts. The first of these arrived after only seven minutes when Danny Discombe put Liam Quinn in possession and his viciously swerving cross caught Camels ‘keeper Josh Colwill in two minds which allowed O’Neill to lose his marker and head home from close range. Camelford strikers Craig Coad and Paul Menhennick were proving to be a lively pair but the U’s back four, ably marshalled by the rock like Stuart Berry, were able to keep the danger in check and ‘keeper Ben Hardie was rarely called into action. With twenty five minutes on the clock the home side doubled their advantage when a Joe Jasper cross was met by O’Neill who muscled his way into the danger area before stabbing home from six yards. When in front the U’s are inclined to take their foot off the pedal, which  could be a highly dangerous ploy,  and although on this occasion the visitors lacked the guile to exploit this situation there will be teams better equipped to take advantage should the U’s choose to continue with this annoying habit. The best chance of the second period came when Coad tried a snap shot which had Hardie scrambling to turn the ball around the post, but this moment apart there was very little for which the half could be remembered.

Plymstock 5 - St Austell 2                                            Saturday 19th September

Played in glorious sunshine this game provided some scintillating entertain for the large crowd and, to be fair, the score line was a little harsh on the visitors who did not finally succumb until they were reduced to ten men in the closing stages. St. Austell arrived at Dean Cross as league leaders and they soon got into their stride, taking the lead after only four minutes when a long ball from defender Dan Lean found Ollie Brokenshire who glided the ball out of the reach of Ben Hardie from fifteen yards. This early setback did nothing to deter the U’s who now set about their opponents with gusto but some wide finishing from Michael O’Neill and Joe Jasper ensured that the Lillywhites kept their noses in front.

Despite holding pole position the visitors were looking decidedly shaky at the back and it came as no real surprise when the home side equalised as the game entered it’s second quarter when O’Neill set Jasper racing clear and his angled shot from 16 yards flew past visiting ‘keeper Gary Penhaligon. The home side were now in full flow and with Jasper and O’Neill causing havoc they took the lead for the first time after 35 minutes when the form made ground down the right before squaring the ball into the path of the latter who was left with the simplest of chances. With the game entering first half stoppage time the U’s increased their lead when Paul Heveran sent O’Neill away and he rounded a stranded Penhaligon before rolling the ball into an empty net. The second period began with U’s, true to form, taking their foot off the pedal and within five minutes of the restart the visitors hauled themselves back into the game when a Lean corner was headed back across goal by Lee Whetter and Mike Body was on hand to apply the finishing touch.

It was St. Austell who were now bossing the game and with the home side seeming unable to string two passes it looked only a matter of time before the visitors struck again, but all this changed with ten minutes remaining when the Lillywhites were reduced to ten men when Chris Phillips was shown a straight red card for retaliating after a nasty challenge from Danny Murdoch. This was just the chance that the homesters had been waiting for and the closed the game out with two late goals. The first of these came when substitute Phil Burgoyne found Kevin Francis in acres of space and the U’s skipper ran on before slotting the ball under an exposed Penhaligon. It was left to left to new signing Mike Southgate to put the icing on the U’s cake when he was left free to stab the ball past Penhaligon and complete a highly successful afternoon for the home side.

Plymstock 1 - Camelford 2                                            Saturday 26th September

A second round tie in the Throgmorton Cup remains but an elusive dream for the U’s who were dumped out at the first hurdle for the third year in a row, this time by a team that they had already beaten at Dean Cross in the league. The opening exchanges were fairly low key, but it was the Camels who were beginning to look the more organised and they were unlucky not to open their account after 15 minutes when Ben Hardie spilled a corner into the path of Craig Codd, but Andy Frost was well placed to clear the strikers shot off the line.

This let off did nothing to inspire the home side and less than five minutes later they fell behind for the first time when Phil Burgoyne handled a James Mubly corner which allowed Mark Gusterson to easily convert the resultant penalty. Despite Hardie being the busier of the two ‘keepers the home side found themselves back on terms after thirty five minutes when following some smart interplay between Craig Holt and Ashley Piggott the latter tried his luck from an acute angle to beat Josh Colwill at his near post although the keeper will undoubtedly feel that he should have done better. This set back did little to deter the visitors who continued to look the more likely to add to their total, but the first half finished with no addition to the score.

The second period began with the home side applying the pressure without really looking convincing but they were rocked on their heels after 50 minutes when the visitors regained the lead through Mark Gusterson who spotted Hardie off his line and cheekily lobbed the ball over him from fully thirty yards. The U’s now upped their game in an effort to restore parity but although Holt and Mike Southgate both went close the Camels remained resolute at the back to book a home tie with Wadebridge Town in the second round.

Callington 0 - 1 Plymstock                                            Saturday 3rd October

U’s manager Micky Hunt made a successful return to Marshfield Park where his charges sneaked all three points in a game that was as tight as the score line suggest.Both teams were missing key personnel through suspensions and unavailability but both sides remained committed to the cause for the whole ninety minutes.

With both defences in command chances were few and far between, although it was the visitors who held the territorial advantage in the opening stages without really threatening home keeper Nathan Murphy.

As the game entered its second quarter the U’s got there noses in front when, following a foul on Danny Discombe, Liam Quinn chanced his arm from the resultant free kick and the ball took a wicked deflection off the wall to wrong foot Murphy.Two minutes later the visitors were denied a second goal in bizarre circumstances after Murphy had spilled the ball into the path of Mike Southgate. With an empty goal in front of him the striker side footed the ball towards the gaping chasm only for it to strike Joe Jasper who was lying prone on the ground after an earlier challenge, Referee Steve Paul quite rightly ruling that Jasper had become ‘active’ and ruling the ‘goal’ out for offside.

The second period followed much the same pattern as the first with Cally striving hard to get back on terms, but it was the U’s who should have increased their lead when a Paul Heveran cross found Chris Stoffell but the unmarked wing-back mistimed his header and Murphy remained untroubled. It was now the turn of the home side to squander a golden opportunity with Jan Rooke the guilty party when he tried to glide his close range effort from a Sam Stevens cross into the corner of the net, but with Ben Hardie beaten the ball rolled agonisingly past the post.

There was one more late scare for the visitors who were indebted to Lewis Young for clearing a goal bound Matt Green header off the line, but soon afterwards Mr. Paul blew his whistle for the last time ensuring a welcome three points for the Dean Cross side.   

Plymstock 3 - 0 Mousehole                                                    Saturday 17th October 

If football matches were decided over 80 rather than 90 minutes the Seagulls would have been well pleased with their afternoon’s endeavours as they had managed to frustrate their high flying hosts for most of the afternoon before finally capitulating in the last ten minutes.

The U’s did in fact open brightly and could have taken the lead after ten minutes when central defender Stuart Berry met a Kevin Francis corner but his header crashed against the crossbar and the ball was hacked to safety. Mousehole were next to show and the lively Tom Patrick should have done better when he found himself in the clear, but his final effort was poor and Ben Hardie made an easy save. Back came the U’s and the visitors were grateful to ‘keeper Ryan Gendall who saved a Joe Jasper shot with his legs after the youngster had outstripped the Seagulls rearguard. The visitors no nonsense approach to defending began to frustrate the home side who, although playing the better football, could not find away past Mark Trevail and his cohorts. The second period began in much the same vein and as the home side began to run out of ideas the game meandered along towards what appeared to be a goalless afternoon, but with less than ten minutes remaining the U’s finally made the breakthrough when Kevin Francis sent a free kick into a crowded penalty area where Liam Quinn was on hand to divert the ball through a sea of legs and past an unsighted Gendall. Having made the breakthrough the home side turned the screw, but it was not until stoppage time that they doubled their advantage when Jasper outstripped a tiring defence to drive past Gendall from the edge of the penalty area. It was substitute Neil Kennedy who had the final say after he picked up a pass from Mike Southgate to drive home from the angle of the penalty area and set the seal on a victory which did scant justice to the visitor’s efforts. 

Plymstock 2 - 4 Perranporth                                              Saturday 24th October

The U’s finally surrendered their unbeaten record to the league leaders although their cause was not helped by the fact that they were forced to play the last hour of the game with only ten men after midfielder Ashley Piggott was sent off for denying a goal scoring opportunity. It was the home side who got off to the best possible start when they took the lead after only four minutes when wing back Danny Murdoch burst forward before delivering the ball to Piggott who rifled a right foot shot into the top corner of the net from eighteen yards. A minute later the U’s should have doubled their advantage when Joe Jasper raced clear but ‘Porth keeper Daniel Burrows was quick to spot the danger and beat the strikers shot away. Back came the visitors and Ben Hardie, at full stretch, did well to divert a shot from Mike Davies around the post. Porth were now applying the pressure forcing corner after corner and following one of these the U’s were indebted to Danny Discombe who was perfectly placed to clear a Dean Harris header from underneath the crossbar. Possibly the defining moment of the game came after half an hour when Piggott clawed another Harris header off the line with his hand and received the customary straight red card, the resultant penalty being easily converted by the evergreen Ian Gosling. The second half began with the home side playing with the elements and they retook the lead after fifty five minutes when the ever dangerous Murdoch made ground down the left before cutting inside and sending a right foot shot well out of the reach of Burrows from the angle of the penalty area. If the home side could have held their lead for a little longer then who knows, but the were pegged back for a second time when less than a minute after gaining the advantage they found themselves back on level terms when Hardie spilled a Gosling cross into the path of Ben Goldring who was left with the easiest of chances. With the game entering its final quarter the visitors took the lead for the first time when a Gosling corner was met by Harris who headed back across Hardie and just inside the post. The U’s, led by the irrepressible Jasper who ran himself almost to a standstill in their cause, tried hard to regain parity but it was the visitors who had the final word when Goldring reached the bye line before squaring the ball into the path of Barry Leete who made no mistake from close range.

Plymstock 1-0 Dobwalls                                                     Saturday 31st October

The U’s finally stumbled over the line against a Dobwalls side that had been reduced to nine men early in the second half after their second red card offence of the afternoon in a game that was an eminently forgettable spectacle for players and fans alike. Dobwalls are a team which approach the game in a no nonsense fashion and it is this kind of outfit that the U’s find it particularly hard to overcome, especially given the youthful nature of their squad. After Ashley Piggott had hit the visitors post in the opening skirmishes the first moment of controversy arrived only three minutes in when visiting full back Nick Souness, after disputing a throw in, clearly and audibly abused a match official leaving Referee Phil Hart with no alternative but to brandish a straight red card. This sending off however did little to inspire the home side who, although enjoying the greater possession, continued to flounder against a rock like defence well controlled by Andrew Davey and Jeff Dillon., and even when the pair were found wanting goalkeeper Jamie Castle was proving to be unbeatable. The second defining moment of the game arrived just after the interval when Spencer Wilson flattened Paul Heveran to receive his second yellow card, which was inevitably followed by Red. Dobwalls, to their credit, refused to buckle and although not creating many problems in the final third were still doing enough to hold on until with ten minutes remaining the U’s finally got their noses in front courtesy of Mike O’Neill, who was back in the side after missing the last three games due to work commitments. Even then there was an element of luck about the goal as O’Neill failed to control a Kevin Francis pass, but the ball bounced up invitingly in front of him and the lanky striker was able to nod it over the advancing Castle to secure a welcome three points for the home side.

Axminster 1 - 5 Plymstock                                              Saturday 7th, November

The U’s cruised into the last sixteen with a performance against their East Devon opponents with a victory which was every bit as emphatic as the score line suggests.
Micky Hunt’s decision to give midfielder Neil Kennedy his first start of the season proved to be an inspired one as the gritty midfielder’s tenacious approach in the engine room freed up skipper Kevin Francis to exhibit his more sublime skills and the U’s skipper took full advantage spraying passes all over the pitch to keep the home team at full stretch.
It took the U’s only five minutes to get their noses in front when a cross from the left from Kennedy picked out Paul Heveran an the full back opened his account for the season by driving past Chris Higgs from close range.
With the game less than fifteen minutes old the visitors doubled their advantage from the penalty spot after Joe Jasper had been brought down by Adam Cowling, Francis easily beating Higgs from the twelve yard mark.
Both Kennedy and Craig Holt were inches away from increasing the U’s advantage with well struck drives which flew inches wide, whilst the Tigers attacking forays were few and far between as they struggled against a U’s rearguard well marshalled by Stuart Berry, their only reward being a succession of corners which produced little threat.
The opening exchanges of the second period saw the homesters a little more threatening and the visitors had a let off when an intended cross from Jack Andrews sailed dangerously close to Ben Hardies’ goal, the ball rebounding to safety off the outside of the post.
The visitors now stepped up a gear and Heveran combined with Holt to set up Mike Southgate who cleverly eased the ball past Higgs from the edge of the penalty area.
As the U’s relaxed the home side came more into the game and they reduced the arrears when Hardie did well to reach a teasing low cross from Alex Wheatley but the ball fell kindly for Joel Gosling who was left with the easiest of chances.
Back came the visitors and substitute Ashley Piggott put the game beyond the reach of the Tigers when he drove home from twelve yards after being set up by Heveran.
It was Man of the Match Francis who had the final say when, after Jasper had been floored just outside the box, he curled the resultant free kick around the wall and well out of the reach of a static Higgs

PORTHLEVEN 0 - 1 PLYMSTOCK

A morning of heavy rain had left Gala Parc in an extremely heavy state but the U’s will be glad that referee Len Stephens declared it playable after their long trip in poor conditions when they returnee home with all three points. After winning the toss the visitors chose to play into the face of a strong wind and the home side were quickly on the offensive, forcing the U’s on to the defence in the opening exchanges. With only five minutes gone the Fishermen were presented with a free kick on the edge of the penalty area following a foul on Dan Stidwell, but Jamie Thompson’s effort was charged down by the U’s wall before he skied the rebound over the bar. The visitors gradually forced their way into the game and Mike O’Neill should have given them the lead after being set free by Kevin Francis, but instead of shooting the striker tried to walk the ball into the net and Rob Kew was able to make a sprawling save. The U’s had another opportunity soon after but after Kew had blocked his original effort he to drove well over the bar. With thirty minutes played the visitors finally broke the deadlock when an astute pass from Craig Holt picked out Joe Jasper but after Kew had made another fine save from his shot the ball broke to O’Neill who this time made no mistake. Back came the home side and they should have levelled within seconds of the re-start when a Matt Fox cross caused confusion in the U’s rearguard leaving Andy Cowper with what appeared to be a simple chance and although the ball sat up invitingly for him he managed to glide his shot wide of Ben Hardie’s right hand post. With the interval approaching a cross-cum-shot from Stidwell rebounded to safety off the crossbar but the U’s went in at half time well pleased with their one goal advantage. The second period began with the home team again the first to show with Stidwell again to the fore as he skipped past Ben Alcock before cutting the ball back from the bye line but unfortunately for the Fishermen there was no one to take advantage and the ball was cleared which almost led to second U’s goal when Jasper took advantage of some hesitancy by Paddy Gardner only to see his well executed lob beat Kew but pass inches outside the upright. With the heavy pitch now beginning to take it’s toll the game began to peter out and although there was the odd isolated foray from both sides neither ‘keeper was further seriously troubled.