Helston Athletic have announced that two strikers, including their top scorer, have now left the club following the end of the 2021/22 season.

Top talisman Stu Bowker, and Craig Veal have both left the club after the end of the Western League campaign which saw Helston Athletic finish ninth in the table.

In an announcement on Twitter the club said: "As preparations for next 22/23 start (already), on behalf of all at Helston Athletic we would like to wish both Stu Bowker and Craig Veal all the best of luck for next season, and offer a huge thank you from all of us involved at The Blues for your endeavours."

Massey confirmed that Craig Veal would be leaving the club after it had became a logistical challenge to travel down to Kellaway Park for the striker, who had previously played at Plymouth Parkway, he said: "Vealy was a grey area, he was travelling from Honiton.

"When I signed him originally, I wouldn't really have committed myself to getting him with him living up there. It has been a hell of a commitment but he was in the process of moving to Newton Abbot.

"That would have been great as he could have jumped in with the boys (who are based there) but it fell through and he stayed in Honiton.

"It has been trouble for him, he has picked up niggles, what with the playing and driving. He had one with a hamstring, he perhaps didn't play as many games as I'd have liked through injury. He called me and he is going to stay nearer home. That was a logistics one, between us it was amicable."

The Manager then explained the decision to let go Stu Bowker, who finished the season as Athletic's top scorer with 23 league goals to his name: "With Stu Bowks, it was down to pure style on the pitch, I know he had got his goals, but a lot were before Christmas time. The players around him were creating the chances. I just thought when we have Bowks in the side I wanted more flexibility from our forwards.

"A lot of times he was the clubs best ambassador. He got it wrong on a few occasions, on social media or in the dressing room. He is a likeable lad, he was a challenge to manage but I enjoyed the challenge. I didn't want to keep devoting a lot of time to challenges on players. The Bridgwater game was a watershed moment. It confirmed the flexibility, the pace, the work rate and the energy. The front three showed against Bridgwater, I need three players like that."

"I have only done it on half a dozen occasions in my career when I have had to tell a player that I wasn't going to renew his terms. Otherwise, it comes with natural wastage and they chat with you.

"I wish him all the best, that's unless he pops up against us! I can't think him enough, he has been a huge ambassador. One thing I can say about Bowks is when he goes out on the pitch he does give you everything."

The departing duo notched 35 league goals between them in the Western League last season and Massey admits he knows whoever comes in has big shoes to fill, he said: "I was well aware of that, I am already in the process of rectifying that. I think defensively we are as good as anybody. The players we have got, I don't believe there is a better defensive unit then ourselves. The two Bentley brothers, Joshy Storey, Harrison Jewell, Reece Shanley. I am very confident in them.

"We just need more firepower and if to be perfectly honest a lot more work rate. Certainly the last third of the season was very poor up front. My forwards didn't work hard enough, I am looking for more work rate from them."