Penzance took their only clear chance of a close match, and overcame the dismissal of captain Tyler Tonkin, to complete back-to-back league victories for the first time this season.
Already missing top scorer Jacob Trudgeon, the Magpies were dealt another blow when experienced midfielder Kevin Lawrence, the architect of the previous week’s win over Dobwalls, was forced to withdraw shortly before the match. Mark Vercesi and Jordan Daniell returned, emphasising the current strength of the squad and enabling the home side to edge a first half of very few chances. They took the lead in the 18th minute when Liam Andrew released Archie Reynolds down the right flank with a long ball. The full-back lobbed on-rushing Camelford keeper Josh Colwill and Silas Sullivan held off his marker to bundle the ball home at the far post.
Reynolds, the season’s only ever-present in league fixtures, then made another telling contribution as he cleared a shot from Charlie Hambly off the line as Camelford looked for an immediate response. Pressure from the visitors intensified after the break, and Will Trenoweth was forced to dive low to his right to keep out an Alex Wharton shot, then tip a header from Eli Evans on to the bar. Sam Watts curled a shot wide from twenty yards out, and Penzance’s hopes of hanging on were dealt a massive blow twelve minutes from time when Tonkin, already booked for a first half foul, copped a second yellow following an altercation with Andy Boxall.
Hold out the ten men did though, and they almost nicked a second when Vercesi nodded down a Cam McCabe corner to Daniell who flashed a volley just over the bar. The win moved Penzance up one place to twelfth in the table, leapfrogging next opponents Bodmin Town.
Penzance: Will Trenoweth, Archie Reynolds, Cam McCabe, Mark Vercesi, Liam Andrew, Tyler Tonkin (captain), Jordan Daniell, Silas Sullivan, Kam Collins (Haidar Fadli 62), Rolandos Samnauskas, Nathaniel West (Alfie Hicks 68). Unused subs: Max Everard, Kai Baxter
Camelford: Josh Colwill, Tom McLachlan (Bryn Sturdy 83), Jake Chafer, Charlie Hambly (captain), Leighton Carhart, Tom Crowe, Sam Watts, Eli Evans, Andy Boxall, Alex Wharton, Fin Ellacott (Ross Beare 65). Unused subs: Martin Yelland, Phil Brown
Referee: Robert Fleetham
Watch: The stream from this match (kindly sponsored by Antony Handyman and Ashley Waters - Painter & Decorator) is available to watch via our Facebook Page.