PENZANCE 0, BRIDGWATER UNITED 3

Cup specialists Penzance succumbed to a first knock-out defeat in nine ties in their FA Vase First Qualifying Round match on Saturday. Since exiting the competition to Hamworthy Recreation last season, the Magpies had been on an eight match winning streak culminating in two final triumphs back in May.

Harry Salmon, Ben Palmer, Charlie Young and James Butler all made their first starts of the season, replacing Will Trenoweth and Lewis Caspall (both unavailable) and injured defenders Mark Richards and player-manager Mark Vercesi. The latter absences, along with that of captain Tyler Tonkin, were most keenly felt with uncharacteristically shoddy defending allowing the visitors to compile an unassailable interval lead.

Salmon kept the Jewson Western League leaders at bay with solid early saves from Will Collins (three times) and Jason Quick. Penzance first threatened in the 18th minute when captain Silas Sullivan-Bailey set up Charlie Young, but the striker’s shot was blocked bravely by defender Toby Lawrence. Bridgie were soon back on the attack with Collins battling Ewan Trevains for a through-ball. The ball ricocheted from the pair’s tussle fortuitously into the path of Shea Mannings who curled home an accurate low shot from twenty yards out.

No good luck, just bad defending, could be attributed to the second goal, rolled home in the 31st minute by the unmarked Sam Beresford after a move down the left. By the interval, the Robins had flown out of sight, Will Collins sneaking a header just inside the near post after Penzance had failed to adequately clear their lines.

The home side huffed and puffed to no avail during a largely uneventful second half. James Butler saw a shot from distance easily pouched by Liam Kingston, before swinging over a tantalising cross that Sullivan-Bailey headed over at the far post. At the other end, Collins went on a mazy run and squared the ball to Beresford whose shot was well saved by Salmon with his feet. The match concluded with Trevains blasting shot over the crossbar as Penzance slipped to just a second defeat in sixteen Cup ties.

Penzance: Harry Salmon, Josh Otto, Ben Palmer, Charlie Young (Jacob Trudgeon 64), Silas Sullivan-Bailey (captain), Andreas Calleja-Stayne, Charlie Willis (George Molcher 73), James Butler (Archie Reynolds 73), Ewan Trevains, Steve Burt (Ollie Butler 64), Josh Turner (Wade Brown 64)

Bridgwater: Liam Kingston, Dave Thorne (Mark Armstrong 65), Jason Quick (Lloyd Mills 69), Tom Llewellyn (captain), Toby Lawrence, Jacob Spence, Harry Horton, Miles Quick (Jake Llewellyn 69), Shea Mannings (Haydan Chambers 71), Sam Beresford, Will Collins (Dougie Camillo 71)

Referee: Paul Kempen

Assistants: Luke Wilkes, Nigel Pitts 

Attendance: 243

Match Report courtesy of James Wright