BODMIN TOWN Bowker stars in attack and between sticks
- Details
- Last Updated on Thursday, 06 January 2022 23:52
- Published on Wednesday, 05 January 2022 14:06
- Written by KEVIN MARRIOTT Cornwall football's touchline ace
Opposition supporters, and most central defenders I imagine, have little time for his way of playing the game. Ask them if they’d have him in their team? The vast majority would say yes at the drop of a hat.
This season he’s plying his trade, rather successfully, at Western League level with Helston Athletic, and is dual signed with Bodmin Town in the South Western League, which means when Helston don’t have a game, Bodmin can ask him to play.
And they were rather pleased to have him on bank holiday Monday when he proved to be Bodmin’s star at both ends of the pitch in a 6-0 win over Wendron United at Underlane.
Bowker hit the opening two goals in the Walter C Parson Cup third round tie and a Dan Jennings strike made it 3-0 before the break.
Selflessly Bowker forfeited the chance to complete a hat-trick by volunteering to go in goal for the second half when Dale England suffered a shoulder injury which will keep him out for up to 12 weeks.
Bodmin boss Darren Gilbert revealed: “In the dressing room at half-time it was obvious Dale couldn’t continue. Bowks got up and said ‘I’ll go in’.
“It was typical of him, everybody knows what he’s like, a bit crazy, but to be fair he did a good job.
“He made a couple of point blank saves to kept a clean sheet and was then asking afterwards whether he got a bonus for a clean sheet.”
Gilbert has turned his attention to signing a goalkeeper, with Jason Robertson, who played well in goal for Bodmin against Wadebridge on Boxing Day, suspended for three games after being sent off playing for Helston.
“It’s just the way things have been going for us this season,” said Gilbert. “You couldn’t make it up.”
Bowker’s heroics at Wendron somewhat overshadowed the fact that Dan Jennings helped himself to another four goals.
But Gilbert said: “DJ’s been good for us. He scored two on Boxing Day and got four on Monday.
“He’s on fire but he still lets his head drop sometimes. He missed a chance at Wendron and his head dropped but I told him to keep going and when the next chance came along he buried it.”
Darren Gilbert was talking to KEVIN MARRIOTT Sports Editor of Voice Group Newspapers (Cornwall)
Stu Bowker celebration courtesy PAUL WILLIAMS Voice Newspapers
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