Match report to follow

Words: Daniel Tatarsky; Photos: Owen Wallis

For both teams this match offered a relief from the stresses, strains and grind of the league but it was Helston who actually seemed more freed by this. On a drizzly night in front of a disappointingly low crowd for this local derby Mousehole got their name into the hat for the next round but it could quite easily have gone the other way.

At the end of last season Helston dropped out of the Southern League following a late season dip in form so home fans could be forgiven for thinking that this Cornwall County Senior Cup second round tie would be a formality. It was far from that with the visiting team having the best chances in the first quarter of an hour, even hitting the post when it looked like they should have scored.

This near miss stirred the Seagulls and a third of the way through the first half they took the lead. The goal came as a result of dithering in the Helston defence but the turnover was quick and devastating. Paulo Sousa won the ball in the D and slid it to Hayden Turner on the left,he clipped a cross to the far post from where Jack Symons headed it across goal to a lurking Mark Goldsworthy who had the simplest of tap-ins from six inches.

A couple of minutes later Mousehole could have doubled the lead when Julio Fresneda curled a shot just over. At that point it seemed like the momentum was with the home side but they couldn’t push on and extend their lead. The visitors were having the better chances and some may have thought they were the higher placed team in the league pyramid. This dominance eventually brought them their very well-deserved equaliser just before the half hour.

After a throw in on the Helston left was flicked on, a reverse pass released the winger. As he galloped towards the box a hesitant defence couldn’t decide whether to close him down or cover the other runners. When he arrived in the box he jinked inside and fired a shot across goal and inside the far post. Drawing level was nothing less than their plucky play had merited. This could have seen the Seagulls collapse but they regained the lead just two minutes later.

Symons found himself in space on the right and when his blocked shot rebounded high into the night sky it was Sousa who leapt the highest to win the header and put it in the path of Turner. He whacked a first-time half-volley in to the roof of the net. The Hitman’s lack of celebration may have indicated a knowledge that this goal was against the run of play but ten minutes later Mousehole had almost got their name in the next round when they increased their lead before half time.

Good pressure in the midfield from Kaleb Kadimashi forced the defence in to an error and gave the ball to Goldie. He took it in to the box and rolled it across to an unmarked Mitchell who passed it home. A three one lead at the break might have indicated to people following the game on teletext that Mousehole were well on top but apart from the scoreline that was far from the truth. The Helston manager knew his team were doing well but did not feel the same about the referee and his frustration with decisions going against his team led to his dismissal from the dugout.

If Mousehole thought that this would be a decisive lead and that the second half would see them hammer home their advantage they were wrong. The second half was a tough watch for Seagulls’ fans. Other than Mitchell hitting the bar early in the half when he should really have scored it was the visitors who looked the more likely. That they didn’t score before the seventieth minute was more down to their own lack of quality in the box than anything Mousehole were doing to stop them.

Helston halved the deficit thanks to a penalty. On a night that neither side would have given the man in black a high score Helston’s chance came when Judah won the ball on the edge of his own box. The tackle seemed clean to most in the ground apart from the referee and he pointed to the spot. Following a long wait for a discussion with his assistant to make sure he’d got it right the spot kick was dispatched with panache.

With twenty minutes left it really was anyone’s game and the best two chances fell to the men in blue. The first, a one on one, was repelled by Chenoweth. Where would this season be with the man in turquoise? The second was from a corner. Some wags have started nicknaming the Mousehole defence Dracula because of their fear of crosses and so it proved here. The ball was swung in and fell to the feet of a Helston forward. To the relief of Mousehole he whacked it high over the bar. Soon after the whistle went and Mousehole were in the next round but if they are to win this cup for the first time in their history they will have to improve on this performance.

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 Cornish identity, pandemic-era epiphanies, beautiful football, and why a newly built road has accidentally given him the perfect 10k loop.

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Before we talk about football, tell me about your association with the local area. Where did you grow up? What does being Cornish mean to you?
I grew up in North Cornwall and went to Wadebridge School, spending most of my childhood around St Minver and Wadebridge. But both sides of my family are from Penwith. My dad’s a Newlyn boy, with the family originally from Mousehole, and my mum is from St Ives. So although we lived upcountry, we were always back down west, either visiting grandparents or coming to Newlyn and St Ives every weekend.

Some of my earliest memories are of going to Paul cemetery to visit my granddad’s grave, then walking over to Trungle Park with my dad for a kick-about. Back then the pitch was totally exposed — horizontal rain, rooks in the trees — a properly haunting place. Now I live in the village myself, and I can’t imagine being anywhere else.

Being Cornish is central to my identity. Even when I moved away in the ’90s for college and university, I was already trying to work out how I could come back. There weren’t many creative career options here at that time, but I’ve been lucky enough to build a life and a career in Cornwall. I’m proud of the culture, the history, and the people — those who’ve grown up here and those who’ve chosen to be here. This is home.

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Talk me through your involvement with Mousehole. When did you first come to see us, and what keeps you coming back?
Mousehole was always in my consciousness because my dad talked about the club and its old heroes. As a junior playing for Newlyn, we’d come up against the Mousehole sides. I’d also come up to Trungle Park as a kid for the odd game.

But the real turning point was the pandemic. I used to go to Argyle all the time, but when football restarted after lockdown, I wasn’t quite ready to go back into a big stadium. During our daily walks, we’d pass Trungle Park and see the pitch looking immaculate and players training at a distance. When fans were allowed back in, I decided to try Mousehole instead of Argyle.

I remember walking in and being blown away by the quality of the pitch. I remember thinking – bloody hell, this is proper! Then the football itself — Western League at the time — was a revelation. I’ve barely missed a home game since.

What keeps me coming back is the quality of the football, the emotional hit you get from a Saturday, and the group of mates I only ever see at games. My work life is all over the place — writing, shooting, editing, travelling — so Mousehole gives me a sense of structure. If the lads are at home, I know exactly where I’ll be: behind that goal.

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Your career takes you around the country and the world, and you’re often spotted wearing a Mousehole shirt. What do you tell people who’ve never heard of the village or the club?
I do like to wear the shirt when I travel, especially if I know I’m going to be photographed. People often ask about it because not many teams play in green. When they do, I tell them it’s Mousehole — the greatest football team in the world. And then I usually end up explaining the size of the village and how we’ve had attendances at Trungle Park that are almost double the population of Paul. There can’t be many clubs anywhere who can say that.

I’ve had some brilliant moments with the shirt. Once, I was on Venice Beach in Los Angeles wearing the all-green centenary kit, and someone walked straight up to me and said, “Is that a Mousehole shirt?” He was from Falmouth, had just landed in LA, and recognised it from a hundred metres away.

And now the shirts are travelling even further. As wrap gifts on the new film, I gave Mousehole kits to George MacKay and Callum Turner. Callum actually has two, and George wears the centenary one to the gym every time he goes. So the word is spreading — slowly but surely — about the greatest club in the world.

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I believe a recent addition to the club has changed your exercise routine?
Yes — the new road! I used to have a running route from Trungle Moor up the old lane, across to Lamorna, through the quarry and back. It was always just short of 10k, so I’d tack on an extra loop.

Since the new road was built, if I run up Trungle, through the car park and up the new road before heading to Lamorna, it comes out as a perfect 10k. So I have the club — or Prince William, or whoever signed it off — to thank for that.

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What other changes would you like to see at the club? What do we need to do more of?
Honestly, the only thing I’d love to see is more people at games. That’s easy to say and hard to achieve. Attendances can be baffling — a sunny Saturday against a big side might get under 200, then a rainy Tuesday against a nothing team pulls in nearly 300.

Bigger crowds help the atmosphere and the finances, and now the access is better the ground can definitely handle it. But it’s the same everywhere: Penzance want more, the Pirates want more. Every club does. If I figure out the magic answer, I’ll let you know.

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Is there a film to be made about a small non-league club in a rural setting? Are you tempted?
Sports films are tricky. It’s incredibly hard to get the actual sport looking right. Even great films like The Damned United were clever enough not to show too much football. Actors rarely convince as players.

You could say it might be easier to portray this level of football because audiences wouldn’t expect it to look like the Premier League — but unfortunately Mousehole play such a beautiful style that I doubt you’d ever find actors able to do it justice.

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QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS

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.