NOT good enough. These words sum up Forest Green Rovers’ display against Truro in the FA Vase. 

The fighting Cornish team earned a draw and could have won, finishing the game the stronger side.

Full time saw Rovers end the game in a sorry state and questions must be asked about their fitness. Recent results show how the team very vulnerable in the final 10 minutes.

On the field, leadership is missing and despite managerial exhortations at half-time, the team drifted.

The game was played at too slow a tempo, which played into the hands of part-time Truro.

Scintillating football, which FGR can play, needs to be backed up by determination, pace and vigour. These are missing from Rovers’ game at the moment and if this is still the case when league action resumes against Dover on Saturday, December 17, promotion dreams will slip away.

The BBC version of the Twelve Days of Christmas almost slipped past me. It started with the 12 Bells referring to the Warwickshire and England batsman Ian and ended with reference to the Partridge in a pear tree. This of course being David from Birdlip, the only Partridge ever to have played first-class cricket. He was a member of the Gloucestershire side that won the Gillette Cup in 1977. He is now back playing table tennis at the Deer Park, on a Monday night but he is not the only Partridge playing.

Cricket poet Frank Mansell wrote of this popular sporting family: “A full team they could muster, or so the legend runs, made up of Partridge players, the fathers and the sons.” I can update this. There are now three generations of Partridges playing table tennis. Grandfather Martin, now aged 90, is the senior member. Son David plays as do grandchildren Ed and Charlie.

Martin is something of a legend, not first because of his age but because of his bat. It is simply wooden, not covered in sponge. Some doubt its legality but if it wielded with spirit and vigour by someone of Martin’s years, who cares?

I met Martin recently at a funeral, one of two I have just attended. The first was that of Ken French at Sheepscombe. Ken had served the village in so many ways, especially the cricket club. He was always good value talking about the game, particularly his highest score of 80 made against Barnsley Beeches. He was much more reticent about his DFC and the 38 missions he had flown as a navigator in a Lancaster bomber.

The second funeral was that of Jim Cox, who served cricket in this county at every level. In his playing career, Jim gave the ball a mighty thump, scoring many runs for Stinchcombe Stragglers. But he was much more than a player. He served on the council of our county club for many years, becoming chairman of cricket.

He represented the county club on the recreational board as well. Always speaking vigorously for the north of the county, Jim kept the Bristol contingent on their toes. He would not allow Gloucester and Cheltenham to be forgotten.

Two people with much to forget, but even more to remember, are the two vergers at the parish church in Cirencester, Peter Flaherty and John Lawrence.

John is old enough to have played water polo in the town’s glory days while Peter is a veteran of local football, particularly in North Wiltshire, and is old enough to have played against the father of Charlie Griffin, the current manager of Cirencester Town.

Charlie would be delighted if the midfield skills of a young Peter were available now. His name would be the first on the team sheet. Now with colleague John, he does so much to accommodate the many functions in the parish church.