PENZANCE 1, LISKEARD ATHLETIC 2

Ten man Liskeard Athletic demonstrated why they are Peninsula West title favourites, overcoming a numerical deficit to come from behind and win an exciting opening day fixture in glorious West Cornwall sunshine writes James Wright.

Roared on by the majority of an impressive 243 crowd, the Magpies got off to a flying start when 2024-25 top scorer Charlie Young forced the ball home after just five minutes. An offside flag intervened on that occasion, but the home side were not to be denied long, Josh Magin sweeping home a fine cross from the left by captain Silas Sullivan to celebrate his return to Penlee Park with a goal. Player Manager Mark Vercesi almost doubled the lead shortly afterwards with a header from a Sam Young corner.

Liskeard hit back with Harry Jeffery stretching Penzance debutant Harry Salmon to a fine tip-over. The new signing from St Day also saved well from Owen Pritchard right at the end of the opening half. 

The Blues started the second period well too, Jordan Powell just missing the target with a glancing header from a corner from wide on the right. They did not restore parity until, bizarrely, a minute after falling a man in arrears. Captain Josh McCabe was dismissed following his second booking of the afternoon but, within a minute, Owen Pritchard towered at the far post to nod home a deep cross from the right. Jeffery then won it for the visitors with a confident penalty, planted high into Salmon’s left-hand corner, nine minutes from time.

“We are massively disappointed with the result after a great first half,” lamented Vercesi. “We eased off and let them back into the game. We need to learn how to kill teams off when we are on top. But credit to Liskeard, that’s why they will be right up there, staying in the game and taking their chances. Big, big game on Wednesday now.”

The Magpies travel to newly promoted Falmouth Town Reserves on Wednesday night, a 7.30pm kick-off at Bickland Park.

Penzance: Harry Salmon, Archie Reynolds, Josh Turner, Sam Young (Adam Lewis 90), Mark Vercesi (Rohan Bennetts 85), Ewan Trevains (Jacob Trudgeon 73), Josh Magin, Charlie Willis (Ollie Butler 70), Charlie Young, Lewis Caspall, Silas Sullivan (captain) (James Butler 70)

Liskeard: Luke Gwillam, Josh McCabe (captain), Ben Collins, Jordan Powell, Scott Sanders, Matt Andrew, Harry Jeffery, Dane Hewings, George Newton, Dan Jennings, Owen Pritchard. Subs: Colin Pritchard, Harvey Mullis, James Lorenz, Cory Harvey

Referee: Max Davies

Assistants: Guy Pallett, Stuart Bowden

Attendance: 243 

Cover Photo courtesy of James Wright