Matt Sanders broke Penzance’s brave resistance with a headed goal deep into injury-time as the Magpies look set to take a hard-earned point from an entertaining fixture at sun-drenched Mount Wise.
It was the very least the centre-half deserved after threatening almost every time he pushed forward. Early in the second half, Sanders had been denied by a point-blank range save from Mikey Flores and, seconds before snatching the winner, he crashed a header against the angle of post and bar as the high-flying Peppermints fervently chased the winner.
Such an outcome would have seemed very unlikely an hour earlier as the visitors played the crisper, more incisive football in the opening stages. Two changes were made from the previous week’s home defeat to Dobwalls. Frazer Cadman dropped to the bench in place of Liam Andrew, making a first appearance of the season having started the campaign with Mousehole, whilst Ollie Butler started in the absence of Rolandos Samnauskas. Jacob Trudgeon and Tyler Tonkin both went close before the Magpies edged ahead in the 18th minute. Home keeper Adam Robathan could only parry a teasing Archie Reynolds centre to the feet of Michael Fitchett, and the striker gleefully rammed home his fourth goal of the season.
The lead lasted barely a minute. A wonderful long ball out of defence released Lucas Preston down the Newquay right, and the latter’s pin-point pass was easily converted by Harrie Tilston.
Notwithstanding the disappointment, Penzance continued to enjoy the better chances for the remainder of the first half. Tonkin stretched Robathan to a sprawling save with a free-kick from 25 yards out, Charlie Willis sent a volley just over, Silas Sullivan twice went close and Kam Collins was just off target with a back post header from Trudgeon’s corner.
The second half was a different tale, however. A clearly fired-up Newquay, attacking the clubhouse end where most of their fans were congregated, bombarded the Magpies goal with an almost incessant onslaught. The visitors did gradually gain a foothold back in the match, and their best move culminated with Butler seeing a shot deflected wide. The momentum was all with the Peppermints though, and Penzance’s prospects of hanging on diminished when left-back Alfie Turner was forced off injured.
But, going into stoppage it looked like a point might be theirs. Then Willis got sin-binned. The task was hard enough with a full complement, but with ten men it proved too much and there was something of an inevitability about the last gasp Sanders strike that handed Newquay the spoils.
Penzance: Mikey Flores, Archie Reynolds, Alfie Turner (Lewis Hitchens 73), Tyler Tonkin, Liam Andrew, Charlie Wills, Jacob Trudgeon, Kameron Collins, Ollie Butler, Rolandos Samnauskas, Michael Fitchett (Dylan Walter 81), Silas Sullivan. Unused subs: Ryan Andrew, Mark Vercesi, Frazer Cadman
Newquay: Adam Robathan, Callum Edlin, Harry Downing, Matt Sanders, Josh Evans, Jay Davie, Cam Turner, Lucas Preston (Alex Cole 46), Ross Fallens (Jack Piper 85), Joe Briggs (Ollie Butterworth 80), Harrie Tilston (Ryan Beer 46). Unused sub: Phil Lowry
Referee: Josh Eyre
Assistants: Graham Rickard, Duncan Stevenson
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