Major effort ends in defeat...
Today, a heavily depleted Reserves hit the road as we travelled to Oxland Park for our third league match in eight days as we took on Illogan.
With several players unavailable for a host of reasons including holidays, illness, injury, work, cricket, partners birthdays, and childcare, damage limitation was our main concern.
Eleven players were at the game for kick off as we lined up.
Murley returned in goal, with a back four consisting of, Henry, Lewis, Reevesy and Paddy. Our midfield four were Adam, Kizzy, Joe and Harvey, with Connor in the ten role leaving manager Lee up top.
Expectations weren't high, as orders from management included, slowing the game as much as possible. Taking our time on set plays whilst making the ball do as much of the work as possible.
The opening exchanges were fairly even until Kizzy grabbed the game by the scruff. Picking the ball up on the half way line, Kizzy danced through, beating four players in the process before smashing the ball into the far corner putting us one up.
Our defence were in control at the back as a vocal Murley barked orders and controlled the defence superbly.
With the Reserves bossing the game it was Joe and Harvey who pressed the left back before the ball found its way to Lee in the box.
A scrambling Illogan defence couldn't get to Lee in time as he calmly slotted his effort past the Illogan keeper whilst a defender tried to scramble the ball off the line to no avail.
Two nil to Penzance.
Payno had now made it to the game and came on to steady the ship as Lee took a well earned breather.
However on the strike of halftime and after several fine saves from Murley, a long range shot was tipped onto the bar and as Murley hit the ground from the dive the ball unfortunately rebounded off his back and bounced into the goal.
1-2.
Halftime.
At halftime we spoke about only being halfway through the game and that the hard work would now begin, and it did , straight from the whistle.
Illogan made some changes and flew out of the blocks, scoring two goals in quick succession claiming the lead.
3-2
I'd love to say we tested the Illogan keeper out further in the second half but a lot of the game was battled out in the middle of the park.
And as our legs tired, Illogan nicked the decisive fourth goal minutes from the end sealing our fate.
4-2.
With that the final whistle blew much to the relief of an exhausted Penzance Reserves team.
Fulltime.
Today, whilst we might not have got the result we wanted, I have to say how thoroughly proud of the lads both myself and Lee are. They battled to the very end and probably deserved to get a draw from the game.
Undoubtedly we were under severe pressure for parts of the game but the work they put in epitomises the Penzance ethos and the lads can hold their heads high tonight.
Today, we could have easily given the whole team the man of the match award , but for myself, Lee and indeed the Penzance Ultras today's man of the match award has to go to Murley. He really made some fantastic saves at point blank range today and bossed his box with such confidence.
No game next week for the Reserves as I think they've fully earned a break especially after today's efforts.
Ft result:
Illogan 4-2 Penzance Reserves
Goal scorers:
Kizzy Snowden
Lee Major
MOTM: Murley
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