Non-league club near Bristol ‘severely let down’ after forfeiting midweek game - four hours away

A non-league club that plays its football on the outskirts of Bristol have forfeited their long-haul away match this evening, citing costs and the ‘pragmatism’ of the journey.

Keynsham Town were scheduled to make a 180-mile round midweek trip to Mousehole AFC, a team that are based in Cornwall, near Penzance, 15 miles further than if they were to make a trip to Manchester.

But despite their best efforts, they have had no option but to announce their failure to fulfil the fixture and now face a punishment from the Toolstation Western Premier League.

The non-league club claimed that they would have needed to rent a small minibus for at least two days, as well as having to reimburse the wages of their mainly amateur players, for an estimated cost of almost £2,000.

In a statement released by Keynsham Town, it says: “Our club feels we have been severely let down by the Western League Board in this situation. Our suggestions since the original postponement for alternative options have been unsupported by the league, e.g. we have no fixture on Saturday 9th April.

“Rest assured that our committee and players have explored and exhausted every viable option internally, including taking time off work, to play this game on a Tuesday evening.

“To play at Mousehole on a Tuesday night would require us renting a small minibus for two days and reimbursing players for lost wages in taking a half-day off work; this would cost the club circa £2,000 (not forgetting the money wasted from the original postponed game). A night game would also mean a five-hour journey each way (including stops), with us leaving by 1.30pm, on the day of the game and getting home in the small hours of Wednesday morning.

“The league have been reactive rather than proactive, and their lack of pragmatism in this instance is further backed by the appointment of a referee for this fixture who lives in Torpoint.

“Whilst we understand the concept of the FA’s proposed ‘perfect pyramid’ for Non-League Steps 1-6, we are not alone in feeling that the blanket approach to having a solitary ‘South Western’ step five division was ill-thought-out and grossly unfair to clubs in the Western League Premier Division.

“By way of example, Manchester is over 15 miles closer to Keynsham than either Mousehole or Helston! Sadly the travelling in our division is more akin to a step two or three division than Step 5 and a 400-mile round trip on a Tuesday night is both unethical and unrealistic for a step five club.

The Toolstation Western League issued a quick response, where they will now begin a disciplinary process for a relevant punishment.

“The Western League Board does not accept Keynsham Town’s version of events regarding the scheduling of this fixture or the conduct of the league concerning the postponement of the original league fixture between these two clubs scheduled for 19th February.

“Failing to fulfil a fixture, which technically has not happened yet, is a serious matter and will be subject to a disciplinary procedure. The league will be making further statements on this matter, at the appropriate time, pending the outcome of this disciplinary procedure.”

Keynsham are currently 10th in the division, whilst their proposed opponents Mousehold are second, embroiled in a promotion battle.

The division also consists of clubs also near or in Bristol like Bitton, Brislington, and Cadbury Heath, who are all below mid-table.