WENDRON United striker TJ Walter has signed for South West Peninsula League rivals Falmouth Town.

Walter joins goalkeeper Richard Kellow in signing for Town, who arrives at Bickland Park as cover for Ryan Barnes.

Walter has been in fine form for Jack Greenwood’s side this season, scoring ten times to fire the Dron towards a respectable 13th place in their debut SWPL Premier West season. He also scored three cup goals; two in the Walter C Parson League Cup and one in the Cornwall Senior Cup.

Walter will have to wait until Saturday’s trip to Newquay to make his debut for Town as he is cup-tied for the visit of St Blazey in the League Cup on Tuesday, having played in the Dron’s 6-3 extra-time defeat at Dobwalls in the first round, in which he scored twice.

Walter will join former Wendron manager Charlie Davis at Town, with the first-team coach playing a big role in luring the in-form forward to Bickland Park.

Town manager Andrew Westgarth said: “He’s been on our radar and obviously with Charlie’s [Davis] connections to Wendron he knows TJ a lot better than I do, and Charlie knows him personally as well.

“No disrespect to Wendron, but for a mid-table side he’s got a good goal return, so hopefully he can turn that into our team and make it a very good goal return. He’s a fit lad, good age, very keen, hungry to do well and hopefully he can be a good fit for us.”

Town have played much of the season without a regular striker, with Jack Bowyer regularly unavailable due to work before he joined St Austell last month, while fellow forward Matt Buchan has also been absent

“I think Bucks [Buchan] will be first to admit that his availability is a bit up and down with work and he loves going away on a trip,” Westgarth said. “Bowyer’s moved on and we’ve needed to replace Bowyer and TJ can be a good fit for us.

“It gives us that squad strength, but it also gives us that competition for places.”

Walter’s switch comes after Falmouth goalkeeper Steve Parker-Billinge recently moved in the opposite direction to join Greenwood’s side, and Westgarth has signed Richard Kellow to fill the void as understudy to first-choice ‘keeper Ryan Barnes.

Former Porthleven and Mousehole goalkeeper Parker-Billinge came out of retirement to link up with Town in the summer as cover for Barnes and went on to make six appearances for the first team.

The move may be a bit of déjà vu for Kellow, who also featured in goal for Porthleven last season after Parker-Billinge left Alan Carey’s side to join Mousehole.

“We were disappointed to lose Steve because he got brought in as cover to start with and stayed on as a goalkeeper coach and back-up to Barnesy,” Westgarth said, “but he got itchy feet and wanted to get back playing. I could never stand in anyone’s way, so it just leaves us short in that position.

“Barnesy is the number one ‘keeper and he understood that and he just wants to play, whereas Rich [Kellow] is probably the other end of the spectrum; I don’t think he’s that bothered about playing week in, week out, but he’s more than happy to held us out. Steve had to drive a distance to help us but Richard is on our doorstep.

Craig Allen is also set to make his belated Falmouth Town debut in the coming weeks.

The St Mawgan striker, who is the top scorer in St Piran League East with 24 goals in just 16 games this season, signed for Town before Christmas under an agreement where he would play if St Mawgan didn’t have a game, only for Town’s game to be called off every time he has been available for Westgarth’s side.

“Every evening game he’s meant to have been available for us it’s been called off.” Westgarth said. “He was meant to play for us at Penzance last Saturday but that was called off.

“He’ll stay at St Mawgan, he’s a St Mawgan player and we respect that and he’s just going to help us out where he can.

“Looking at their fixture list they haven’t got many midweekers, and I think he’s available for every single one of our midweek games which is good.”