DOBWALLS 1, PENZANCE 3

Penzance picked up three points on their first away trip of the season with an efficient, if unspectacular victory at Lantoom Park.

Manager Mark Vercesi made just one change to the side that had despatched Helston in its previous match, restoring available-again Josh Otto to the starting line-up at the expense of James Butler who reverted to the bench. And the Magpies utterly dominated the opening stages. Lewis Caspall was doubly unlucky, crashing a powerful drive against the crossbar and seeing a low drive repelled by a post inside the first four minutes.

Andreas Calleja-Stayne had a shot well saved before Josh Turner made the break-through just before the half hour mark. Out-muscling home captain Ryan Winfield to wrest control of a lofted pass, the in-form striker turned skilfully to tuck a low shot just inside Freddie Harvey-Larmar’s far post.

Dobwalls hit back immediately, a move down the left presenting Alex Oshinyemi with a far post opportunity that he finished with aplomb. But then the Penzance onslaught resumed. George Molcher rattled the woodwork with a fierce shot before Turner notched his second goal of the afternoon, and fith of the season, with another tidy finish.

A cheeky back-heel by Caspall, after a tidy link-up on the left between Molcher and Silas Sullivan-Bailey, put the Magpies 3-1 up early in the second half. When Charlie Willis, on his 100th first team appearance, was tripped, Turner had an opportunity to extend the lead, and complete a hat-trick, from the penalty spot in the 57th minute. He picked the out the bottom left-hand corner with a clean strike, but Harvey-Larmar was its equal, pulling off a quite superb save. 

TON UP CHARLIE! Charlie Willis today chalked up his 100th 1st Team Appearance. He reaches the milestone barely 3 years after making his debut as a sub at Wendron in August 2023. His century is made up of 97 starts and 3 sub appearances, with 24 goals netted.

The keeper accomplished another good save from Caspall, set up by substitute James Butler, ensuring there was no further addition to the tally. “You’ve got to be satisfied to come to Dobwalls and win,” concluded Vercesi. “It is a hard place to come, and a difficult surface. I thought we were really good in the first half and good value for the win. Lewis was unreal with his shooting today – he just needed to align his shots a little bit better having hit the woodwork twice. We’ve now got our work cut out for a huge local derby on Tuesday. Hayle are good side, so hopefully we will have another big crowd behind us again.”

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Dobwalls: Freddie Harvey-Larmar, Josh Geary, George Hann (Morgan Jones 57), Rhys Connew, Ryan Winfield, Levi Cable (Conrad Naylor 57), Jamie Gilbert (Fin Lyle 59), Raffi Causon, Jack Gaynor (Luke Gale 72), Elian Causon (Harvey Glossop 72), Alex Oshinyemi

Penzance: Harry Salmon, George Molcher (Steve Burt 75), Ben Palmer, Josh Otto, Jacob Trudgeon (Hayden Waters 57), Silas Sullivan-Bailey (captain) (James Butler 57), Andreas Calleja-Stayne (Ollie Butler 85), Charlie Willis, Ewan Trevains, Lewis Caspall, Josh Turner (Wade Brown 75)

Referee: Thomas Anstice-Mitchell

Assistants: Richard Butter, Michael McGregor

Match Report and photos courtesy of James Wright