Penzance had no answer to the power and experience of Bude’s star performers Tornado Bello and the Hopcroft brothers as they crumbled to a heaviest defeat of the season so far on the longest away trek.
Billy Hopcroft and Bello had already signalled their intent, both going close, before the newly promoted home side took the lead in the seventh minute. Midfielder Harry Hopcroft picked out Josh Baxter with an accurate free kick, and the defender headed home.
After conceding, Penzance enjoyed their best spell of the game for the next half hour. They monopolised possession and full-backs Archie Reynolds and Cam McCabe fired over a succession of inviting crosses. The equaliser, after 25 minutes, was therefore fully deserved if somewhat fortuitous. Jacob Trudgeon located Rolandos Samnauskas with a raking crossfield pass, and the latter’s shot looped over flat-footed keeper Liam Hill with the aid of a cruel deflection.
Three goals were scored in a crazy four minute spell just before the break. Firstly, Billy Hopcroft beat Will Trenoweth with a stinging low shot, then Bello opening his account with a vicious angled drive from wide on the left. But the Magpies turned around with renewed hope after Kizzy Snowden bagged a remarkable solo goal, chasing down a long pass before juggling the ball past both the last defender and Hill before rolling it into an empty net.
The key moment of the contest came just before the hour mark when Tyler Tonkin was harshly adjudged to have fouled Billy Hopcroft and Bello tucked his spot kick to Trenoweth’s left. Whilst there may have been a touch of fortune about the fourth, the fifth just had to be admired, Harry Hopcroft lashing in a sublime right-footer from twenty yards out for the goal of the match.
Penzance made four substitutions in an attempt turn the game around with Nathaniel West being handed a debut. The tall Helston striker came closest to scoring, heading just wide from a Silas Sullivan cross. It was man-of-the-match Bello who had the final say though at the other end, ripping a shot into the roof of the net two minutes into injury-time to complete his hat-trick and the day’s scoring.
Penzance: Will Trenoweth, Archie Reynolds, Cam McCabe (Kevin Lawrence 77), Ryan Andrew, Jordan Daniell, Tyler Tonkin (captain), Jacob Trudgeon (Kam Collins 62), Silas Sullivan, Kizzy Snowden (Max Everard 77), Darryl Richards, Rolandos Samnuaskas (Nathaniel West 62). Unused Sub: Mikey Flores
Bude: Liam Hill, Wes Pugh, Liam McDonald, Josh Baxter, Liam Sandercock, Lloyd Scaife, Scott Parker, Harry Hopcroft, Luke Potter, Billy Hopcroft, Tornado Bello. Subs: Kyle Darragh, James Dart, Mason Tape, Muhammad Mahmoud, Tom Coles
Referee: Adam Leigh