Penzance moved up to second place in the table by virtue of an impressive win at Trevassack Park, withstanding a strong second half come-back by Hayle in an entertaining match
“Three games in seven days meant we rotated our squad slightly,” said joint manager Darren Smith. His side took an early lead when Ewan Trevains applied a text book back post header to a tantalising Lewis Hitchens cross from the left. The margin was doubled on the half-hour by a quite sublime outside-of-the-boot finish by Kizzie Snowden from a short Joe Gordon pass. Trevains then forced home his second of the night and, but for excellent saves denying Louis Caspall and Snowden, the Magpies might have been further clear. “I felt in the first half we were very good and could have potentially been out of sight. The intensity was there and we looked really hungry. There was some very nice build-up play and we were comfortable defensively,” continued Smith.
The second half was an entirely different story with Hayle surging forward from kick-off. Profiting from excellent work down the right by Ellis May, and a bit of a defensive mix-up, Kadan Symons reduced the arrears. Then, when Louis Tague slotted home a 59th minute penalty, it was squeaky-bum time for the Magpies, whose wings were also clipped by injuries to Caspall, Tyler Smith and Josh Reeves.
But they weathered the storm, and the tension was released for the final quarter hour when Snowden ran on to an incisive Freddie Neaum through-ball to make it four. Smith concluded: “In the second half we were a little slow to get going and allowed Hayle back into the game. Perhaps we could have been slightly more clinical when the chances arrived throughout the match, but our lads dug in again and got their reward for another good effort. Overall, we are extremely pleased with getting the job done even though we huffed and puffed for twenty minutes in the second half. We were especially pleased with young Tom Butler who made his adult debut tonight with a good defensive display.”
Penzance: Adrian Murley, Lewis Hitchens, Josh Reeves (Steve Miller 60), Steve Miller (Tom Butler 46), Sam Payne, Tjay Price, Kameron Collins, Ewan Trevains (Joe Gordon 77), Lewis Caspall (Tyler Smith 41 (Freddie Neaum 60)), Kizzie Snowden (Captain), Joe Gordon (Adam Lewis 46). Unused sub: Fin Sharp
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