PENZANCE 3, MILLBROOK 0

Penzance came through their first test as table toppers to stay two points clear of their closest rivals. In a match with uncanny parallels to the previous week’s encounter against Bude Town, Mark Vercesi’s side finally pulled clear in the closing stages after being pushed hard by visitors Millbrook.

The Manager welcomed back Lewis Caspall, who had missed the previous three matches, and the returnee created the game’s first chance with a cross from the right from which Andreas Calleja-Stayne stretched Tom Burstow into a brilliant save. Other changes saw Hayden Waters and Jahmali Prowse – both scorers from the bench against Bude – start in place of James Butter and Jacob Trudgeon respectively. The home side huffed and puffed their way through 45 first half minutes. Charlie Willis twice, Prowse thrice, Calleja-Stayne again and Caspall all had chances, But, with solid defending and slick passing, Millbrook were good value half-time parity and may even have gone in ahead but for a fine save by Harry Salmon from Sam Cox.

Vercesi admitted words were said at the break, and Penzance emerged for the second half with much more purpose. Steve Burt had a shot saved before the deadlock was finally broken in the 50th minute. Drawing further parallels with the previous week’s match, it was Ewan Trevains who opened the scoring. Latching on to a loose ball to lash a shot through a forest of legs from the edge of the box, the youngster took his tally to four for the season – double his 2025-26 total in less than half the games. 

With a tidy turn and finish, Caspall gave Penzance a two-goal cushion twenty minutes from time. And substitute George Molcher – on for Willis – found himself in on goal just before the close and smashed the ball home with aplomb to seal the win.

“My personal target today was just to stay on top of the league by the end of the day, so we’ve done that,” said Vercesi. “We’ve done it in a very hard game. Millbrook have come today and played really well – really good football. In the first half they were probably the better team. Questions were asked of people at half-time. The boys listened, reacted and in the second half I thought they were very good.”

The Magpies Man of the Match was Archie Reynolds, pictured with his sponsor, Bruce Pearson.

Penzance: Harry Salmon, Archie Reynolds, Ben Palmer, Steve Burt (Ollie Butler 75), Tyler Tonkin (captain), Ewan Trevains, Andreas Calleja-Stayne, Hayden Waters (James Butler 46), Charlie Willis (George Molcher 70), Lewis Caspall, Jahmali Prowse (Jacob Trudgeon 63). Unused sub: Mark Vercesi

Millbrook: Tom Burstow, Ty Jones (Olly Small 75), Toby Burt, Jason Richards (captain) (Charlie Brown 70), Abz Camara-Balde, Koby Lau, Josh Babb (Malakai Phillips 72), Will Burns, Josh Payn, Sam Cox (Jamie Geraghty 55), Will Larsen.

Unused sub: Rohan Brown

Referee: Andrew Barnett

Assistants: Ian Pattison, Brooke Lague

Attendance: 211

Match Report and photo courtesy of James Wright