Ultimately there was little festive cheer as Penlee Park hosted the last match of its 70th anniversary year, two very late goals condemning Penzance to an unlucky defeat at the hands of high-flying Bude Town in a close, hard-fought battle.
Suspended after accumulating five bookings, Darryl Richards was the only notable absentee from a Magpies side back to almost full strength, and how it showed. Mark Vercesi, Silas Sullivan, Tyler Tonkin and Archie Reynolds all returned to the starting line-up, and the hosts matched their fifth placed visitors blow for blow in an entertaining first half.
Jacob Trudgeon forced an excellent low save from Gary Hill with the rebound spinning unluckily away from the prowling Rolandos Samnauskas. Then Max Everard finished a delightful team move involving Tonkin, Sullivan and Trudgeon by fizzing a shot inches wide of the far post. Bude’s best response was a fine counter attack both started and finished by Baga Markio who was denied by a reflex save with his legs from Will Trenoweth.
The home side’s best hope of pulling off a shock win was provided by the sin-binning of Billy Hopcroft. During the ten minutes, which straddled the half-time break, that they had a numerical advantage Penzance managed to beat Hill once, but on that occasion right-back Wes Pugh came to the rescue, hooking a header from Sullivan off the line. On his return to the pitch, Bude’s captain made the break-though, ramming home the rebound after his brother Harry Hopcroft had seen a well-placed free-kick pushed out by Trenoweth.
Eight minutes from time Penzance appeared to have rescued a point. Making his return to the first team after recovering from surgery, as a substitute for Everard, Kizzy Snowden was tripped whilst in on goal and Vercesi rammed home the resultant penalty. However parity was short-lived with Bude being awarded a spot kick of their own three minutes later which Tornado Bello tucked to Trenoweth’s left.
With Penzance pushed up in search of another equaliser, Bello pounced on an underhit back pass to set up midfielder Scott Piper for a tap-in to secure the points and send his side up to fourth in the table. For their part, the Magpies were left pointless again after another good performance that deserved better.
Penzance: Will Trenoweth, Archie Reynolds, Cam McCabe, Mark Vercesi, Liam Andrew, Tyler Tonkin (captain), Kameron Collins, Jacob Trudgeon, Rolandos Samnauskas, Silas Sullivan, Max Everard (Kizzy Snowden 62). Unused subs: Kevin Lawrence, Alfie Hicks, Ryan Andrew
Bude: Gary Hill, Wes Pugh, Liam McDonald, Luke Potter, Harley Westlake, James Dart (Mason Tape 60), Scott Piper (Ewan Reeves 90), Harry Hopcroft, Tornado Bello (Hamish Hudson 90), Billy Hopcroft (captain), Baga Markio. Subs: Nick Rudge, Jason Jones, Will Hancox, Simon Revell. Unused subs: Kyle Darragh, Muhammad Mahmoud
Referee: Josh Eyre
Watch: The stream from this match is available to watch via our Facebook Page,
Kindly sponsored by Antony Handyman and Ashley Waters - Painter & Decorator.
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