AFTER one of the wettest festive periods on record, which has decimated sporting fixtures across the county, teams across Cornwall will be hoping to return to action this weekend.
On Saturday just two games survived in the Carlsberg SWPL, with St Blazey overcoming visiting Liskeard 4-2 in the premier division and Truro City winning 1-0 at Hayle thanks to an early goal from Scott Palmer.
Truro City suffered a third successive Blue Square South postponement with their home game against Weston-super-Mare called off on Friday evening.
The Boxing Day game at Treyew against Dorchester Town looked like going ahead until further heavy rain saw Dorset referee Mark Pottage declare the pitch unfit, less than 30 minutes before the scheduled 3pm kick off.
Spat
And the decision sparked a post-match spat between the two managers, with Dorchester boss Phil Simkin accusing City of putting referee Pottage under "intense pressure" to let the game go ahead, a claim robustly denied by City's Lee Hodges.
Simkin told the Dorset Echo: " I have to say the referee was being put under a lot of pressure by Truro to play the game but nothing surprises me where they are concerned.
"I have absolutely no sympathy with Truro for wanting to get the game on in that way."
But Hodges, who like Simkin, agreed the referee had made the right decision, replied: "I was flabbergasted when I read this. There was never any pressure of any kind put on the ref.
"I have checked with Tracey (City secretary Tracey Finemore) and I have absolutely no idea how this guy came to think we had put any kind of pressure on the ref. It just isn't true."
City are next in action at second-placed Welling United on Saturday and face a hectic time as the postponed fixtures will have to be played in midweek.
One bonus for City of the postponements is that skipper Jake Ash and midfielder Marcus Martin are now not just one more yellow away from a one match ban as the cut off point was December 31.
In the Jolly's Combination League only one match was played on Saturday at Goonhavern where visitors St Day won 2-0 to move within two points of leaders Illogan, thanks to goals from Chris Tolley and Gavin Boon.
St Day's second goal was their 500th in the league.
On Boxing Day three matches were able to be played with Illogan edging out bottom club Holmans 1-0 at Oxland Parc thanks to a Dan Bowman goal.
Mullion (Rob Carey 2, Sam Harry, Alan Thomas) and Wendron (Ben Ambrose, Liam Trathen, Harry Evans, Ben Allen)) shared the points in a 4-4 thriller, while Pendeen beat visiting St Just 2-1.
A full Peninsula League programme is scheduled this weekend, and with drier weather forecast, normal service will hopefully be resumed.
Helston lie seven points adrift of Godolphin at the top of division one west, and they will be hoping to close the gap when they travel to St Dennis on Saturday (2.15pm).
Truro City reserves will be hoping to throw a spanner in the works in the division one west title race as they host third-placed Wadebridge, who will be looking to bounce back after losing 5-3 to Godolphin on Boxing Day.
In the premier division Falmouth Town management duo Robbie Stephens and Les Gilbert will be bidding to get the year off to a winning start when they welcome seventh-placed Saltash United to Bickland Park on Saturday (3pm).
It has been a difficult first couple of months at the helm for Stephens and Gilbert, but with new players continuing to come in, they will be hopeful of seeing an improvement in fortunes for the second half of the season.
Porthleven, having seen their Boxing Day derby clash with Helston washed out, welcome Hayle to Gala Parc on Saturday in division one west, while Perranporth have a good opportunity to kick the year off with a win when they entertain Foxhole Stars at Ponsmere Valley.
Penryn Athletic, after a successful 2012, which saw them lift the Cornwall Charity Cup, remain on the fringes of league success, and they face a difficult start to 2013 when they travel to Dobwalls on Saturday.
