Penzance were unable to capitalise on a promising start and slipped to a disappointing defeat at home to a strong Newquay team.
Tyler Tonkin and Darryl Richards both went close in the opening moments for the home side but, once those chances had slipped away, the match was dominated by the high-flying Peppermints. Visiting midfielder Tom Shepherd forced Will Trenoweth into a good low save after twelve minutes. The Penzance gloveman then did even better to tip a thunderous Cam Turner free-kick on to the bar. But reprieve was temporary – from the resultant corner Scott Hannigan ghosted in front of the defence at the near post to divert the ball home.
Another Newquay defender, Harry Downing, doubled the lead after 39 minutes, emphatically volleying home a Shepherd free-kick. But Penzance were unlucky not to reduce the deficit on the stroke of half-time, Silas Sullivan seeing his fine shot tipped on to the cross-bar by Brodie Cole.
The Newquay keeper was again in the thick of the action straight after the restart – saving from Charlie Willis. Just after the hour mark, Harry Tilston missed a sitter – from Downing’s knock-back of a deep Turner cross. The visiting centre-forward though played a part in his side’s final goal just sixty seconds later. He harried Mark Vercesi, returning to the Penzance defence after injury, into a back-pass that caught Trenoweth unawares and bobbled into the net – the final ignominy of an afternoon his side will wish to forget.
“We could have been two up in the first five minutes,” rued Magpies manager Ashley Waters afterwards. “We have to take those opportunities. Newquay then dominated the game and got what they deserved. We've progressed as a team this season, and this will be another test to see a reaction going into the Bude fixture next Saturday.”
Penzance: Will Trenoweth, Archie Reynolds, Alfie Turner, Ollie Butler (Kam Collins 54), Liam Andrew, Mark Vercesi, Jacob Trudgeon (James Butler 57), Silas Sullivan (Freddie Neaum 84), Tyler Tonkin, Darryl Richards (Rolandos Samnauskas 74), Charlie Willis (Gareth Ireson-Ward 90)
Newquay: Brodie Cook, Scott Hannigan, Tom Moxham, Matty Sanders, Harry Downing, Ross Fallens, Tom Shepherd, Cam Turner, Harry Tilston, Phil Lowry, Alex Cole. Subs: Coen Briggs, Callum Edlin, Ewen Travers, Ryan Beer, Rudi Sharp
Referee: Andrew Hobbs
Assistants: Ian Pattison, Stuart Bowden
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