A Man of the match performance from goalkeeper Will Trenoweth was the difference between two industrious sides as Penzance came from behind to beat Bodmin Town.
The outcome hinged on two pivotal second half minutes. After Sam Eccleston had been fouled by Liam Andrew, James Hamson had the opportunity to give the visitors a vital lead going into the final half hour. But Trenoweth sprawled low to right to keep out the Bodmin captain's penalty, and barely a minute later the Magpies seized the initiative with a spot kick of their own. Jacob Trudgeon gratefully slammed the ball past Piran Jones after himself being clattered, and from then on Penzance didn't not look back, easing clear to bag a fifth win from six home games.
Ironically Trudgeon's first goal in ten matches came on an afternoon he had been relegated to bench. With Mark Vercesi, Alfie Turner and James Butler all back in the starting line-up, Trudgeon made way along with Kam Collins and Dylan Walter. The midfielder was soon back in the thick of the action though, replacing Turner after the left-back's troublesome hamstring again let him down.
The chopping and changing may partly explain why Bodmin settled better and took an early lead when Will Elliott got behind the Penzance back line and finished confidently. Both Butler and Vercesi hit the woodwork at the other end, but the home side would have fallen further into arrears but for Trenoweth's first wonder save, low to his left from a superbly hit Dylan Peters free-kick. This inspired Penzance to bag a critical equaliser just before the turnaround. Jones saved Michael Fitchett's back post effort from a deep Silas Sullivan cross, but Charlie Willis snaffled up the rebound for his second goal in as many matches.
After Trudgeon’s emphatic penalty, it was a similar statement finish from another benched regular that wrapped things up with ten minutes to go. Replacing Tyler Tonkin, Collins trotted straight out of the dug-out into Bodmin’s six yard box to power home a Frazer Cadman corner with his first touch – precisely the reaction manager Ashley Waters was seeking.
JEWSON MAN OF THE MATCH - For a brilliant save from a free kick just before half-time, then the pivotal blocking of James Hamson's penalty at 1-1, the accolade went to to Will Trenoweth.
Will received his award from Ray Reynolds, manager of Jewson, Penzance.
Victory was secure - particularly sweet on an afternoon Penzance remembered two club legends, Terry Dann and Dick Stanley, who passed on this week, and reopened the impressively refurbished main stand.
Penzance: Will Trenoweth, Archie Reynolds, Alfie Turner (Jacob Trudgeon 38), Mark Vercesi, Tyler Tonkin (captain) (Kam Collins 80), Liam Andrew, Frazer Cadman, Charlie Wills (Dylan Walter 88), James Butler (Ollie Butler 84), Michael Fitchett (Rolandos Samnauskas 54), Silas Sullivan
Bodmin: Piran Jones, Dylan Peters, Kai Foster, Will Elliott, Andre Silva, Nicholas Salop, James Hamson (captain), Louis Taylor, Sam Eccleston, Noah Crump. Subs: Henry Ellis, Oskar Prusek, Rory Jarvis
Referee: Steve McCulloch
Assistants: Francis Hood, Barry Raiker
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