Parkway disgusted as Hanwell refuse to revert kick-off time back to 3pm
LEE Hobbs has hit out at weekend opponents Hanwell Town for refusing to co-operate with Plymouth Parkway over the lunchtime kickoff and revert tomorrow’s Southern League Premier Division fixture back to 3pm.
With the prospect of England facing a last 16 clash at the World Cup, the Southern League followed the trend set by the National League in bringing all kick-off times forward to 12.30pm to avoid a potential clash with the national team playing in Qatar.
But after England beat Wales 3-0 to top Group B on Tuesday night, it meant the Three Lions’ next game will be against Senegal at 7pm on Sunday evening. As a result, several clubs have moved their kick-offs back to 3pm, which helps many teams that are having to travel.
Parkway requested Hanwell do the same, but the Middlesex-based club have not even had the decency to reply to emails set by the club secretary, which means Hobbs and his players have no option but to board a coach at 5.45am to make the early kick-off.
A furious Hobbs said: “It’s a long trip and they have done us a wrong turn, really. The League haven’t helped us either by making us travel there for a 12.30pm kick-off when England aren’t even playing.
“We have to leave Plymouth at 5.45am to try and get there for 11am. Whether we get there for 11am is another matter, but you have to bear in mind we have to incorporate a stop in that for the drivers.
“Hanwell portray themselves as being a real family and community-orientated club and I think it is bang out of order – and the League are too.
“If I am honest, the League jumped too early and should have waited until Tuesday night before deciding what to do. At no point have we agreed with Hanwell to play at 12.30 and we don’t live down the road, we are miles away.
“I have noticed that six or seven clubs have reverted their kick-offs back to 3pm to help the other team, but this bunch up the road are not doing that for us and are totally ignoring all correspondence that my secretary is trying to engage them with. They are blanking her and it’s absolutely horrendous. Even if they moved it to 1pm, we are gaining an hour. It’s really, really bad.
“It’s a brutal start, but we have to go there, run all over them and take everything that is there to be taken because at no point am I going to be nice when we get there. I think what they have done is bang out of order.”
Elsewhere in the Southern League Prem, Truro City will aim to bounce back from their 3-1 defeat at Chesham United last week when they play host to Harrow Borough at Bolitho Park.
In a weekend of shock results, the damage of defeat at Chesham was softened by news that leaders Westonsuper-Mare went down to a 1-0 defeat at Beaconsfield Town, which means Paul Wotton’s side remain two points off top spot with a game in hand.
Tiverton Town are also in action tomorrow and make the trip along the south coast to Gosport Borough.
In Division One South, Tavistock manager Stuart Henderson is demanding a performance from his players as they look to bounce back from last week’s hammering at AFC Totton when they welcome Larkhall Athletic to Langsford Park in a match that has moved to 3pm.
Exmouth Town were 1-0 winners at Larkhall last week thanks to an Ace High goal and they welcome Melksham Town to Southern Road tomorrow at 12.30pm.
Bideford will aim to bounce back from a poor defeat at home to bottom club Lymington when they head to Hamworthy United (3pm), while Willand Rovers know a win at Westbury United would see them move above their hosts in another lunchtime game.
There are also two big FA Vase games today for two clubs in the South West Peninsula League.
Bovey Tracey face a challenging tie away to Hartpury University, who dumped out Western League high fliers Mousehole in the last round, while Brixham head to Shaftesbury, currently eighth in the Wessex League Premier Division (Step Five),