WESTERN PREM Millbrook boss enjoying new challenge

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Created on Monday, 15 November 2021 15:35

Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 November 2021 07:48

Published on Monday, 15 November 2021 15:35

Written by KEVIN MARRIOTT Cornwall football's touchline ace

MILLBROOK boss Macca Brown is starting to enjoy life in the Western League.

Results have started to justify the general feeling that his side should be much higher in the premier division.

Saturday’s goalless Western Premier draw at Clevedon was the Cornish Magpies' fourth game unbeaten and their third successive league clean sheet.

And Brown is being wowed by some of the new grounds they have visited along the road of their new adventure, having been promoted from the South West Peninsula League.

He said: “I know the consistent spiel from all the promoted Cornish clubs to counter the enhanced travelling argument in the Western League has been about how it’s great to visit new grounds.

“But it really is when you’re going to set-ups like Clevedon, Bridgwater and Buckland.

“The grounds are great and the support for these clubs is excellent and it’s great to be playing in these fixtures.

“I even include in that the lady consistently giving me grief behind the dugout on Saturday for stepping outside of my technical area.

“I had absolutely no reply, because we were so under the cosh she would have been jumping on my back spinning her blue and white scarf above her head if they had scored!”

The fact that Clevedon didn’t was down to a heroic goalkeeping display from Chris Wearing, who is making up for lost time after missing the opening two months with a broken leg.

Brown said: “We swept them aside at Millbrook earlier in the season, but it was a different story on Saturday where they dominated large parts of the game.

“We were very grateful for a magnificent performance from Chris, who showed why he’s up there with the best goalkeepers around.

“It’s no coincidence that we’ve seen an upturn in our defensive displays since he’s returned from injury and that’s nothing against the five keepers we had in the interim.

“They are all excellent (including Woody), but they’ll tell you themselves a relationship formed over seasons with your defensive unit is so important and counts for so much.

Brown said: “We were delighted with a point to be honest, we’ve come to appreciate any point picked up away from home is a positive point gained that we’ll enjoy, because we’ve had some long trips home with nothing.

“But Clevedon were very good, they’ve beaten some good sides recently and I can see why.”

He went on: “We still had our chances, their keeper has made a couple of good saves, but our quality levels with the ball were 5 out of 10 and when that’s the case you can’t get too frustrated, you have to dig in, stay organised and fight and we are showing great character in that respect.

“I thought the officials were superb, you barely noticed they were there and although there wasn’t an awful lot to do as it was a well contested game.

“They didn’t go looking for problems that aren’t there like some officials tend to do.”

Brown added: “We are now unbeaten in four games, winning three of them, and it’s been a real club effort with the team changing each week due to availability, therefore second team players are contributing as well.

“We went up with no Jack Wood, Rikki Shepherd, Ross Hamilton, Ben Applegate, Jason Richards and Ethan Hunt so from a squad perspective we were under strength.

“Thankfully Ryan Knight arrived just before kick-off from work as he was 50/50 as well, so in such circumstances a point definitely felt like three.”

Brown gave a debut to striker Sean Thomson, signed from Elburton Villa, and he made a good impression.

Brown said: “Sean was excellent. He was actually at the club when I first came in five years ago but then joined the Army and has been based everywhere.

“He’s had stints at Bridgwater and Plymouth Parkway in recent seasons so he knows the level and we are delighted to have him on board.”

For the record - match stats by KJM Sport 

Clevedon L Smith, E Nicholson, S Iles (A Kemsley 81), M Osmond, O Babington (A Heywood 75), C Eastwood, S Cooper, A Camm, A Ferris, C Salmon (E Feltham 68), F King.

Sub not used: M Davies.

Millbrook C Wearing, T Payne, R Tetley, J Styring, D Youldon, L Murray, J Foster, J Toulson, C Mahoney (D Chapman 65), S Thomson (R Knight 75), S Morcom.

Sub not used: M Brown.

Referee Mark Wilkes

Attendance 103

SWSN Stars Clevedon – Elliot Nicholson; Millbrook - Chris Wearing

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