By Tom Howe

THE CORNISH GOLD CUP (SUNDAY)

Kernow Football Alliance 5 Chagos Islands (BIOT) 2

THE Kernow Football Alliance are inaugural winners of biennial The Cornish Gold Cup after braces from Dan Jennings and Max Gilbert saw them to a 5-2 win over Chagos Islands.

Sunday’s fixture at Lux Park, home to Liskeard Athletic, got off to a flying start with Gilbert (AFC St Austell) putting Kernow a goal to the good, with the midfielder repeating the trick soon after for 2-0.

An aggressive and pacey Chagos side, based out of Crawley, were by no means pushovers and pulled a goal back through a lovely run and finish from centre-forward Hansley Sagai.

Kernow’s quality shone through after the break and, as Chagos tired, three further Cornish goals arrived through substitute Jennings (Liskeard Athletic) and debutant Louis Price (Newquay), before Dieron Munorrah added a late consolation.

Callum O'Brien and Ben Collins.
Former Saltash United centre-half Callum O'Brien who now plays for Helston Athletic is pictured on the ball, while Liskeard left-back Ben Collins gets ready for a collision. Picture: Colin Hilton (Colin Hilton)

“That was feisty to say the least,” said Kernow skipper James Ward (Falmouth Town).

“I thought it was going to be a good afternoon at work having gone 2-0 up quite early, but then we gave away a sloppy goal from our end to make it 2-1 going into half-time.

“That got their tails up. As the game went on there were some tackles flying in and it was a bit unsportsmanlike to be honest with you. I think it kind of ruined the game in my honest opinion. 

“I know they have travelled a long way but we are here trying to play football the right way. For us it is still pre-season and some of the boys have got 50 games coming up, so we are trying to look after ourselves.

“Ultimately, we were clinical in front of goal and that says a lot about us. It’s another trophy to add to the collection. It’s great.”

It was the first outing for Cornwall’s representatives on the international footballing stage since a 2-1 CONIFA World Football Cup qualifying win over FA Sapmi 12 months ago.

The competition, due to have taken place in Kurdistan, was postponed in April, with the governing body – The Confederation of Independent Football Associations – citing security concerns that prevented some teams from travelling to the region.

While that won’t take place until ‘summer 2025’, 200 Cornish fans were still in attendance to support Kernow on the team’s first visit to Lux Park.

It also marked a return to Cornwall for the Chagos Islands (BIOT) - or British Indian Ocean Territory - almost five years on from a 10-3 defeat during which Jennings netted four of his nine goals for Kernow.

“It was a battle, wasn't it,” said Chagos manager, Jimmy Ferrar, whose side have represented the ‘Chagossian community in exile’ for over ten years. It was a massive battle. It nearly spilled over a few times into what probably could have been borderline a bit too much of a battle, but we progressed. 

“I'm a bit bruised by that one because I think after half-time we could have come out and scored and it could have been a different game. But we didn't, we conceded the third one, it killed us off and two quick goals after that absolutely finished us.

“I think if we had a full-strength eleven today, it would have been a lot, lot closer. In two years' time, when we play again in Crawley, I think it will be a totally different game.”

Kernow FA: Ollie Chenoweth (Lewis Moyle, 61), Dave Barker, Ben Collins (Harvey Mullis, 59), James Ward (capt), Callum O'Brien, Shane White, Max Gilbert, Harry Jeffery (Sam Gerken, 59), Finn Harrison (Dan Jennings, 59), Louis Price, James Lorenz (Tyler Tonkin, HT).