Penzance paid dearly for a shambolic early concession, and never recovered as they slipped to a disappointing defeat at Callington Town.
Missing the experience of Mark Vercesi (on holiday) and Kevin Lawrence (still injured), the Magpies failed to settle and found themselves a goal down after the just seven minutes. With no midfielders showing, right-back Archie Reynolds was forced into playing a square pass to Silas Sullivan, deputising in Vercesi’s central defensive slot. Sullivan failed to control the ball, and the mistake was ruthlessly punished by Andre Rodukov who drilled a low shot past Mikey Flores.
Barely a minute later, Michael Fitchett was presented with a glorious chance to level but pulled his effort wide. The Magpies though had only one further chance of note before the interval. Oscar Massey’s shot from a Frazer Cadman corner was blocked out to Tyler Tonkin, but the captain’s powerful drive was well saved by teenage Callington keeper Karl Peters.
The home side would have made the game safe immediately after the restart but for a brilliant reaction save by Flores from a heavily deflected Harry Southcott shot. Penzance then introduced Rolandos Samnauskas, who had been dropped to the bench for the first time this season, but the Lithuanian striker was unable to turn things around. Despite his side dominating territorially, they created only two chances of note. Fitchett saw a powerful low shot beaten out, then Charlie Willis was denied by the cross-bar with a dipping effort from twenty yards out.
Rodukov and Kevin McCallion both went close to extending Callington’s lead, but in the end one goal was enough for the home side to secure the points and leapfrog their opponents into eighth place in the table.
Penzance: Mikey Flores, Archie Reynolds, Alfie Turner, Silas Sullivan, Tyler Tonkin, Frazer Cadman, Charlie Wills, Kameron Collins (Ollie Butler 72), Michael Fitchett (Freddie Neaum 80), Oscar Massey, Jacob Trudgeon (Rolandos Samnauskas 48). Unused subs: Dylan Walter, Will Trenoweth
Callington: Karl Peters, Adam Patterson, Jamie Rowlands, Frazer Ferris, Harry Southcott, Ben Langton, Andre Rodukov, Connor Pritchard, Kevin McCallion, Kieron Prescott, Finley Skews. Subs: Taran Goodright, James Brenton, Sam Butler, Lorean Manolias, Oliver Northam
Referee: Julian Cook
Assistants: Daniel Jones, Gavin Arnold
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