FALMOUTH TOWN RESERVES 0, PENZANCE 2

Two very late strikes saw Penzance to a first win of the season. Ewan Trevains was the man of the moment, enhancing his growing reputation with a goal and assist to defeat Falmouth Town Reserves, playing their first home match in the Peninsula League after promotion on the back of a trophy-laden 2024-25 campaign writes James Wright.

Penzance player manager Mark Vercesi made just one change to the side that narrowly lost to Liskeard in Saturday’s opener, bringing in Wade Brown for the unavailable Lewis Caspall. And it was home side that made all the early running, hitting the post early on and squandering a succession of good opportunities. Magpies gloveman Harry Salmon saved well from Evan Tresidder, Reece Carroll and Aaron Hicks whilst the visitors were limited to a couple of half chances for Josh Magin and Brown.

Jon Perrow’s side were still on the front foot after the restart with Salmon again denying Hicks. But, once Charlie Willis had stretched Ethan Fearn into his first save of the night, Penzance began to wrest away control. A glorious long right-to-left pass by Vercesi put Silas Sullivan clear on the left, and the captain’s pinpoint cross was diverted just wide by Charlie Young.

Though Falmouth continued to threaten – most notably when captain Kirk Davies blasted a free-kick just wide from nearly thirty yards out – Penzance were starting to look to most likely winners. And, two minutes from the end of regulation time, Trevains burst through down the right to fire home from the edge of the area – a fine solo effort.

Town hit back hard and Salmon did well to finger-tip a viciously dipping effort from Carrol on to the cross-bar, then bravely block a follow-up. With the home side pushed up, substitute Jacob Trudgeon ran on to a chip over the back line by Trevains and deceived Fearn with a clever low shot tucked just inside his near post.

“It was a hard fought three points,” reflected Vercesi. “What we did tonight that we didn’t do on Saturday was to keep on going. We got stronger as the game went on which was the biggest positive. Superbly taken goals by Ewan and Trudgey, and what a save at the end by Harry Salmon.”

Penzance: Harry Salmon, Archie Reynolds, Josh Turner, Sam Young, Mark Vercesi, Ewan Trevains, Josh Magin, Charlie Willis, Charlie Young, Wade Brown, Silas Sullivan (captain). Subs: James Butler, Rohan Bennetts, Jacob Trudgeon, George Molcher, Ollie Butler

Falmouth: Ethan Fearn, Aaron Ibbotsen, Reece Carroll, Scott Yendle, George Evans, Kirk Davies (captain), Jak Davies, Tom Fisher, Evan Tresidder, Aaron Hicks, Taylor Packenas.

Subs: Harry Hopkins, Connor Davey, Will Harding, Art Autumn, James Henwood

Referee: Thomas Milburn

Assistants: Alan Smith, Sam Hadfield

Cover photo courtesy of James Wright