In chapter two of playing with ten men, Mousehole scored four goals away from home but did not take home three points. Whilst it had been the Seagulls who were cut down in numbers against Exmouth, here again, it was the home team who had more work to do thanks to one of their number seeing red. 

This match was preceded by thirty-six hours of constant rain but, surprisingly, the pitch was almost dry come kick off. The same could not said of the eyes of the visiting fans as they probably shed a tear or two at the loss of two more points courtesy of a late goal conceded. 

The similarities of this match with the draw against Exmouth started when the teams lined up. The home side had at least four players over six foot three whilst, once more, Mousehole were without their captain; the granite fore-headed James Ward. In his stead, once more, was the rising star of the Mousehole defence, Jacob Kevern. His pace and calm on the ball had seen Mousehole win handsomely at Shaftesbury so there were few concerns at the skipper’s absence. 

The next similarity with Tuesday night was Mousehole conceding the first goal as a result of not being able to defend a cross. In this instance it was, unusually from open play. A defensive mix up on the left gave the ball to the Didcot forward. He sent in a deep cross towards the far post where Max Cook was up against someone a foot taller. It was no surprise then that the forward got his header in. What was maybe a surprise was the accuracy of it, arrowed into top bins. 

A goal down; no problem. A switch was clicked and in the space of four minutes Mousehole took the lead thanks to the sort of attacking play usually only seen in video games. The first goal came when Kaleb Kadimashi won the ball in the centre circle and played it to Hayden Turner, his first time pass sent Tallan Mitchell away down the left. He received in space but still had a lot to do as he galloped into the box. The defence backed off and that was all the encouragement he needed as he curled it in to the far corner. 

Three minutes later Mousehole were in the lead. Kadimashi sent a long ball up to Liam Prynn. He took it down, shielded it and released and over-lapping Mitchell. The diminutive midfielder was calm personified. The defence didn’t know whether he would shoot, dribble or pass and as they tried to work it out he picked out Jack Symons on the edge of the six yard box. Simmo smacked it home. 

Mousehole did not rest on their laurels and kept pushing for more. The lead was increased just after the half hour when Mitchell provided another chance. This time for Turner. Some lovely interplay between Kevern, Fresneda and Mitchell ended when the latter slid a pass through the whole Didcot defence in to the path of a sprinting Turner. He carried it to the edge of the box before passing it in to the net. They were making the game look very easy at this point and it should have been over five minutes later when Fresneda played in Simmo but on this occasion he rolled his attempt wide. 

Ten minutes later, what could have been four one, was three two. Mitchell was dumped on the floor by a foul which the referee didn’t see. This move eventually led to a corner. With the Seagulls still complaining about the injustice of the not-given foul Didcot took advantage from the kick and scored another headed goal. 

Undoubtedly this made the two half-time team talks totally different but whatever was said it appeared that the home side’s manager had got it more right when they levelled the scores just three minutes after the restart. It seemed straight away that the home manager had given his troops one instruction; lump it in to the box towards the big fellas. And it worked when Didcot had a corner. In it came, Mousehole couldn’t clear, three three. 

Tuesday night was brought to mind again a few minutes later when the home side were reduced to ten men. Another ball was clumped towards the Mousehole box. It bounced head-high and Ed Harrison went to nod it away. Scarily for him and all the on-lookers, the Didcot forward decided to go for it with his boot in spite of it being six feet off the ground. He missed the ball and caught Harrison above the eyebrow. Whilst the forward had no malicious intent, it was reckless and dangerous and the referee ignored the home crowd and showed his red card. Harrison, bandaged, carried on briefly but had to leave the action a few minutes later. 

Could Mousehole succeed against ten home men where they themselves had failed? Only four minutes after the dismissal it seemed that they might. Fresneda played Symons in on the edge of the box. He squirmed one way and then the other but couldn’t get a clear shot off. Turner was free on the left and Simmo found him in space near the corner of the eighteen-yard box. The Hitman found half a yard and shot into the top corner. Four away goals, all of which could be contenders for goal of the month but the important thing was, could they hold out? Surely there was no way back for the ten (not) diddy men? Sadly, from the point of the goal going in it was Groundhog Day as the home team, with ten men, pounded the visiting defence. 

It was only a matter of time before the scores were levelled as the boys in navy blue seemed incapable of keeping possession. When it came, it came from the expected source. A cross, from the left, sailed across the box and found a Didcot man coming in totally unopposed to head it home. 

The only question now left was; could Mousehole now hold on to a point. Every cross and corner was watched through the fingers of the tremendous travelling support but somehow they did it. It was, ultimately, a disappointing point, but a point on the road is never easily won. This was a game of contrasting styles which showed that there is more than one way to skin a cat. 

Where the idea to build a new road for Mousehole AFC actually began depends on who you ask. Our chair, Deryk Heywood, remembers playing here over 50 years ago when the thought of a new road was already in the air. More recently, the idea took shape during a walk on a beach near Falmouth. But first, a little background.

For years, the only way to get to Mousehole AFC has been up a potholed, muddy road through the village of Paul. It meant winding through narrow country lanes and then squeezing through the quiet streets of a small Cornish village. Our local residents have found it increasingly frustrating—and the constant damage to the road from visiting fans, buses, and camper vans hasn’t helped either.

We’ve tried for a long time to find a way to make things better for everyone. Year after year, potholes were filled, but temporary fixes just didn’t last, especially with the wild Cornish weather out here in the west. Eventually, experts told us the road was beyond simple repair. Luckily, our neighbour Paul Pond came up with a brilliant idea—he offered us a slice of land at the edge of his property, just a couple hundred yards, where we could build a new road connecting our car park to the main road at the top of the hill. We knew that road would make a huge difference. The only catch? The cost. We first thought it might be around £100,000, but as we found out, making something permanent, functional, and attractive would be much closer to a quarter of a million pounds.

We launched a fundraising campaign and tried crowdfunding a couple of years ago. While we raised some money, it wasn’t nearly enough to reach our goal, and we had to pause the effort. At that point, we kind of lost hope—until our media guy, Kevin Bishop, went for a walk on a Falmouth beach with local journalist Rachel Stevenson. About a year ago, Rachel saw the potential for a great story and convinced The Observer to run a full-page article.

That’s when Prince William stepped in. After reading the story, he wanted to help. He reached out to Martin Riley, a local businessman with strong connections in Cornwall’s road building scene, who was vital in bringing all the pieces together. Every contractor donated their time, labour, and materials free of charge. It was an amazing example of our club, local businesses, and the royal family coming together to achieve something that might never have happened otherwise.

Prince William talked about this spirit when he visited us to officially open the new road. Lots of clubs have big ideas but often plans stall due to lack of time, energy, or lacklustre support from councils and governing bodies. Crowdfunding can let people down too, but Prince William helped fill the gap and made it real.

We were over the moon that he got involved, but when we found out he would come down to inspect the finished road himself, our excitement soared.

The day of his visit was cold and misty. BBC Breakfast arrived at 6 a.m. to broadcast live into Breakfast, which got everyone buzzing before dawn. Our committee and volunteers gathered bright and early, putting the final touches on the place, fuelled by plenty of bacon sandwiches, coffee, and tea. His arrival was delayed by fog that stopped his helicopter from landing nearby, but when he finally showed up, the atmosphere turned electric.

Prince William took time to chat with our volunteers, including Darren at the turnstile and Anne, Norma, and Fiona running the tea hut. He also caught up with committee members before meeting our first team and coaches. Local schoolchildren and our youth squads training on the pitch got to spend time with him, along with other students watching from behind the goal.

After such an incredible day, we still have to pinch ourselves to believe it really happened. The coverage was fantastic, and we hope this momentum helps us attract even more local involvement, commercial opportunities, and investment. The road is a magnificent addition to our club, but it won’t meet all our challenges unless we build on this unique opportunity. It’s been a wonderful few days for our club—and now we need to make it the start of something really special for Mousehole AFC.

Join us for a special moment in Cornwall as The Duke of Cornwall officially opens the new access road for Mousehole Association Football Club (AFC). This exciting event marks a major step forward for the local community and the club, improving access to the ground and supporting the future of grassroots football in the region.

Here are a selection of photos taken before and during the visit of HRH Prince William to Mousehole AFC on Thursday 13th November 2025.

Photos: Jack Tyler (@J4cksphotography)

BAFTA-winning film director Mark Jenkin has taken Cornish stories to international screens, yet most home games you will still find him behind the goal at Interiora Trungle Parc cheering on the boys in green. His connection to the club runs deeper than a passing interest. Family roots, childhood memories on the old pitch, the pull of community, and the sheer pleasure of watching Mousehole play the game the right way have made him a familiar face at home matches. 

We sat down with Mark to talk Cornwall, filmmaking and his devotion to the club. The full interview will appear in the next edition of Seagulls. For now, here is a quick-fire round that says plenty about the man in the Mousehole shirt. 

Best ever memory at the club? 
Either promotion to the Southern League or a home game against Falmouth. I arrived late after the Gorsedh ceremony — I’m a bard — and squeezed in behind the goal even though the F-Troop had taken it over. We came from behind and won it with a last-minute scramble, right in front of them. They went silent, we went mad. A brilliant moment. 

Worst memory? 
Any game that’s called off for weather. Nothing worse than walking up the hill only to hear it’s off — especially that New Year’s Day fixture against Tavistock a couple of seasons back. Totally gutting, though obviously nobody’s fault. 

Favourite player of all time? 
Goldie. A club legend. I’ve thought I’d watched his “last game” about five times. His leadership, his talking, his work off the ball — even when he was playing with his arm hanging off, he made the team better. When he does finally retire, it’ll leave a huge hole. 

Favourite player at the moment? 
I won’t single anyone out — but let’s just say I’m really looking forward to seeing Jack Calver back on the pitch. 

Which team do you support other than Mousehole? 
Argyle. I was brought up watching them because Cornwall was a rugby county — if you wanted football, you crossed the border. I used to think I was a West Ham fan who watched Argyle, but eventually realised it was the other way around. Still West Ham as well though — that’s inherited from my dad. 

What do you think of the new kit? 
I love it. As long as it’s green, I’m happy. It’s got a retro, late-1980s graphic designer vibe — a bit like that Dutch ’88 kit. Looks great. 

What’s on your running playlist? 
Nothing. Music makes me too aware of time passing. I listen to audiobooks or podcasts — it’s how I consume most of my reading. 

Mark Jenkin’s new film, Rose of Nevada, premieres next Spring 

Mousehole AFC’s away trip to Swindon Supermarine last weekend came with an unexpected bonus: a brush with the EFL—and a reunion with one of our own.

Staying in the same hotel as the team were the players and staff of Tranmere Rovers, who were in town for their League Two clash with Swindon Town the next day. It was a great chance for our players and staff to rub shoulders with professionals—but even more special was bumping into a familiar face: Kieran Stephens.

Now Lead Analyst at Tranmere, Kieran’s football journey started with Mousehole AFC. While still a student at Redruth School, he reached out to the club offering to help with performance analysis. Manager Jake Ash gave him the chance—and he never looked back.

Kieran quickly proved his value, filming and analysing matches, working with coaching staff to develop game plans, and using data to support player development and team selection. Even after moving away to university, he continued his work remotely before landing opportunities at Ipswich Town, Everton, and eventually Tranmere Rovers, where he now holds a full-time role.

“Mousehole and Jake really gave me the building blocks to understand the role of an analyst in football,” Kieran told us. “Working with Mousehole massively shaped the way I work and my attitude towards analysis in sport. I still use many of the techniques I learned there to this day.”

His role at Tranmere includes filming and analysing training and matches, delivering tactical reports, preparing pre-match game plans, and providing post-match breakdowns for both individuals and the team as a whole.

Seeing Kieran in his element—among seasoned professionals, thriving in a role he’s carved out for himself—was a proud reminder of the pathways Mousehole is helping to create, both on and off the pitch.

From West Cornwall to the Football League, Kieran Stephens is proof that big dreams can start in small places.

Swindon Supermarine 0 – 3 Mousehole  

Following some good away performances many, as well as manager Jake Ash, were still a little disappointed that the points return wasn’t what it could’ve been. The previous three away games had brought five points when the performances possibly deserved nine. This meant that the travelling Mousehole team, in an unfamiliar navy shirt with white shorts, was determined to take all the points home from Wiltshire. And that’s exactly what they did with an almost perfect away performance. 

The first half was a cagey affair with neither side able to create many clear-cut chances. Possibly the best chance fell to Jack Symons after about half an hour, he was played in by a lovely ball from Tallan Mitchell. He let it run across his body but this made the angle too tight and his shot went wide. This was a first half where the defence is dominated. It was a tight midfield battle and space was limited on a good pitch in front of an enthusiastic crowd 

Mousehole managed to go in ahead at half-time thanks to a penalty converted confidently by Hayden Turner, making his two hundredth appearance. Again, it was Mitchell who was the creator, having jinxed his way into the box he tumbled when his legs were caught by an errant defender. 

Turner having missed a penalty last week showed no hesitation in taking the ball. He picked a spot, ran up with purpose and placed it firmly to the keeper’s right. The keeper dived the right way, but the shot had too much power and Mousehole went in one nil up. 

Many games this season have been finely balanced and this was no exception so when the second half started it was very much a case of next goal wins; a Mousehole goal would sew it up, a home goal would open the game right up. 

It was clear within the first few minutes that this was Mousehole‘s game. All of the chances were created by the Seagulls and the defence, well marshalled by Ollie Chenoweth, never looked like conceding. 

The game was done and dusted thanks to two goals by Jack Simons within the space of a couple of minutes, but that the little fella didn’t get a hat trick. is probably more of a surprise than that he got a brace. 

Time after time Mousehole cut the Swindon defence to pieces and created openings; both Symons and Turner had chances before Jack finally doubled the Mousehole lead. 

A lovely move strated when Gene Price receive the ball from a throw in, he released Turner on the left of the box, he cut in, looked up and rather than shooting rolled the ball across for Symons to smack it home. 

Just two minutes later the mini maestro was at it again.  It started in the Seagulls’ box, with Ward finding Fresneda near the centre circle. He passed to Price, who back heeled to an o-rushing Simmo about twenty-five yards out. He can’t reach the goal with a shot from there so he jinked his way into the box, shrugging off challenges on the way. Once in the area he simply rolled the ball inside the post. A beautiful team goal finished with individual brilliance. The whole team followed Simmo over to our fans and they celebrated joyously. 

If Mousehole had won this game five or six nil, no one would’ve been surprised. Jake Ash was able to use all five substitutes with no weakening of the team and the chances continued to flow. 

We can definitely say now that Mousehole know how to win away. Can they repeat that magic at Interiora Trungle Parc? Stay tuned, it’s an incredible ride this season. 

Earlier this year, we were delighted to welcome Interiora as our first ever stadium sponsor. Ten months on, we caught up with company owner Megan Dack to hear her thoughts on being part of the Mousehole family.

It’s only been ten months since we began our support of Mousehole but so much has happened in that time. On the pitch, the men’s first team came within a whisker of reaching the play-offs for the second year running, the women sadly had to withdraw from the league but I know they will come back with greater vigour and the youth section, where my son plays for the Merlins, is going from strength to strength. Off the pitch the club has shown that amazing things can happen when a community comes together. The physical manifestation of this is the new road but having attended a number matches, that togetherness goes much further and makes me so proud that Interiora can continue to support Mousehole AFC.

When our partnership with the club was announced I know there were some who didn’t want to lose Trungle Parc and for them it will always be that and that’s the way it should be. For me, when I see our name above the stand and, shortly on the sign at the head of the new road, I am just happy to have played a small part in helping the club move forward.

My original decision to sponsor Mousehole wasn’t difficult; it stemmed from a personal connection to the club. My son had recently developed a huge interest in football, and we’d witnessed a remarkable transformation in his confidence since he joined the Mousehole U9’s youth team. The joy he feels on the pitch and the friendships he has formed are invaluable, and I can’t help but think about how important it is to support the club that has made such a positive impact on his life.

Sponsoring Mousehole AFC is not just about promoting our business; it’s about nurturing the community and encouraging young athletes to pursue their dreams. Who knows? One day, my son might don the colours of the men’s first team. It’s a thought that fills me with pride and excitement. By supporting the club, we’re investing in the future of these young footballers, ensuring they have the resources and encouragement they need to succeed.

At Interiora, we believe in the power of community and the importance of fostering local talent. We’re thrilled to partner with Mousehole AFC, and I can’t wait to see how our support will continue to help the club grow and thrive. Here’s to many more years of creating beautiful spaces and supporting the passions that bring us together!

Mousehole Women Excluded from Cornwall County Cup After First-Round Bye

Mousehole AFC is extremely disappointed to confirm that Mousehole Women have been ruled ineligible for this season’s Cornwall Women’s County Cup, despite previously being told they could enter and having already been awarded a bye into the second round.

The Cornwall FA has now stated that teams not competing in a league this season cannot take part in the competition—which goes against what the club had been advised by the league. The club is slightly confused given that other teams, including St Buryan last season, had been permitted to enter the County Cup without being part of a league structure.

Club secretary Daniel Tasker said:
“We were assured we could enter the County Cup after withdrawing from the league, and we were even given a bye in the first round. To now be told we’re not eligible because we’re not in a league is extremely disappointing. The fact that teams have previously entered the cup without being in a league only adds to our confusion and frustration.

However, rules are rules, and we will move on positively. We’re excited for the months ahead—playing friendlies, rebuilding the squad, and welcoming an ex–MK Dons Women’s coach to the staff. Despite this setback, the future looks bright for the team.”

The club’s withdrawal from the Earthbound Electrical Cornwall Women’s League—following a player vote and board approval—came after more than ten departures in the close-season and the league’s refusal to allow Mousehole Women to drop down a division to remain competitive.

Mousehole AFC would like to extend sincere thanks to team sponsors SeaSwept Farm, whose unwavering support has been invaluable during this period of transition. SeaSwept Farm, a regenerative farm just half a mile from Interiora Trungle Parc, supports community wellbeing through its Wild Things initiative, championing nature-based activity, local sport, and cultural engagement.