Andy Boxall struck a dramatic injury-time equaliser to secure a draw for Camelford from an open, entertaining fixture at Trefrew, but it was to keeper Josh Colwill that the home side owed the greatest debt for their hard earned point.
As early as the third minute, the embattled gloveman was required to leap to his left to paw away a deviously deflected shot from Curtis Smith. Back to almost full strength, missing only Chris Wormington (still sidelined by the head injury sustained at Millbrook), Penzance swarmed all over their hosts in the opening exchanges.
Silas Sullivan slipped an inch-perfect pass into the path of Charlie Willis, but the ever-alert Colwill raced off his line to snuff out the threat.
Camelford hit back hard with Shae Cardiff flicking a header just over the bar before being denied by an excellent Mikey Flores save. But the Magpies were flying highest as the half concluded. Sam Young and Tyler Tonkin were both just off target with shots whilst Colwill continued to frustrate the visitors with competent blocks from Smith, Lewis Caspall and Willis again.
He was finally beaten just after the turnaround. Charlie Young, returning from a three game ban, won an aerial duel to create an opening for teenager Smith to muscle home his sixth goal of an impressive break-through campaign. Only a quite breath-taking save by Colwill from a Sullivan curler seconds later prevented the damage from being doubled.
Sprawling low to his left, Colwill pushed away a precisely placed Charlie Young free-kick with about a quarter of an hour remaining. And the last of his many interventions meant that, when Penzance failed to clear the lines properly following a late raid down their left, Boxall’s crisply struck angled drive was enough to secure a result for the Camels.
“It was a game where we certainly weren’t at our best, but had numerous chances to win it,” said Penzance manager Mark Vercesi. “After a fairly even first half I felt there was only one winner, but not getting that important second goal led to those nervous last few minutes, and we all know what happened then!”
Penzance: Mikey Flores, Archie Reynolds, Silas Sullivan, Sam Young (Kameron Collins 74), Liam Andrew, Tyler Tonkin (captain), Jacob Trudgeon (Darryl Richards 60), Charlie Willis (Ryan Townson 81), Lewis Caspall, Charlie Young, Curtis Smith (Jude Tripconey 60). Unused sub: James Butler
Camelford: Josh Colwill, Sam Watts, Josh Smith, Adam Sleep, Sam Wade (captain), Ross Beare, Kenley Dyson, Olly Taylor, Andy Boxall, Mark Gusterson, Shae Cardiff. Subs: Josh Caddy, Dan Balsdon, Phil Brown
Referee: Steven Annis
Assistants: Richard Butter, Adrian Clements
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