Torpoint 1 - 0 Altarnun

Scorer: Hird.

Lineup: WestallM, Quintrell, WhiteJ, WhiteS, Hicks, Payn, Robbins, Pacey, Hird, WestallC, Ferguson.

Subs: Blair,, Warren, Northcott, Rowe.

It's been well reported across social media and the Podcast in the last fortnight how close the title run in was in the ECPL as last night's result would decide 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Not sure it'll ever be this close again with just one fixture remaining. And IMO a justified top 3 as Gunnislake and Altarnun are the best sides we've faced this season.

I thought a game of this nature would be like a game of chess due to nerves and expectations. But it was more like a basketball match in the first half. Altarnun threatened from a number of corners which were thankfully dealt with, Sam Smith up top was leading the line well as usual and only a last min recovery from a Point defender stopped a Nun wide man from pulling the trigger from 15yds. At the other end Ferguson smashed the post from 16yds after a good advantage from the official, Hird hit the crossbar with a header from a Robbins corner, as well as Hird squaring unselfishly when in a good position to WestallC whose effort was straight at the keeper. Apart from the two woodwork efforts, we did create good shooting chances but every one was a blessing for the keeper and I think I'd have saved them. 0-0 HT.

HT was about reminding the lads to be patient and composed throughout. It was almost ruined inside the first minute of the restart as the clearest opening Altarnun had all game was dragged wide by Smith when through on goal. A huge relief but it woke us up. On 50mins Hird bamboozled his way past 2-3 defenders and slotted into the bottom corner. A great goal but unsurprising as his pace had been frightening the Nuns all game up til that point. Fortunately for the Nuns he only lasted another 15mins as a hamstring niggle ended the night for him, with 17yr old Warren coming on and playing well. The introduction of Blair also gave us additional energy as we saw the game out from a long way out. The best chance to wrap the game up came from Blair cutting in from the right in the middle third and releasing a superb weighted ball for a typical late run in behind from Payn to go through on goal, but at the last moment after taking a touch to set himself the surface caused him to slip and the chance disappeared. Altarnun continued to push, knowing they needed a win to win the title for themselves. The White Wall in Jake and Sam stood tall and Sam in particular had a man of the match performance for me. A poor opening 20mins of the game from him but from then on was faultless and a throwback to proper defending.

Half chances fell for both in a nervy finale, but Torpoint ate up as much pressure and time as our experience could handle, and with Rowe and Northcott on for the last 20 we were resolute in key areas to see it out. We played about 55mins in the 2nd half due to a guessed added time, but in the end it was irrelevant. One Nun player did get too frustrated despite the watch being stopped each time and saw a sin bin to give us a man advantage from about 75-85mins which was probably pivotal with the numerical advantage. FT 1-0 and Torpoint champions.

I've been trying to process last night and this season all day before writing this and it still hasn't sunk in. The team was formed in 2001 and in the 21 years we'd only won a league title once, The Duchy Prem in 2011 when I was a player. To take the team to our 2nd league title and along with it both cups to complete a treble gives me immense pride. To add to that the success of the 1st team winning a league and cup double in the same season is frankly ridiculous. The club is in great shape on and off the pitch and to contribute to that is amazing.

We lost 3 of our opening 4 games in August, before 8 consecutive wins helped us recover. On March 1st we were 5th and way off the pace of the top 3 at the time, but with games in hand. A huge ask. The Cup Semi Final win away vs Gunnislake was monumental for us. Reaching the Final gave us that relief and belief we could do something and it was the catalyst to a 14 game winning streak to win the lot. Where do we go from here? For the squad, I don't know yet. But what they have achieved can never be erased and I know every single one of them deserves it for sticking together during the incomplete seasons in Covid times and a poor start to the season.

No match reports for a while now as I try and work out what the missus is called and earn some brownie points again as like many she's been 2nd fiddle to my 2nd home at The Mill recently. Time to get the hoover out. See you next season.