PENZANCE 4, DOBWALLS 1

Penzance moved back up into third place in the table, ahead of Callington Town who were without a game, by virtue of a competent win over youthful Dobwalls at a sun-drenched Penlee Park writes James Wright.

Though still side-lined by a niggle himself, player-manager Mark Vercesi was able to welcome back keeper Harry Salmon (after missing seven games with an ankle injury), Charlie Willis, Ollie Butler, Lewis Caspall and Josh Turner.

Turner ploughed an unaccustomed furrow up front and made hay, harvesting the opening goal in 16th minute, burying a delicious threaded pass by Silas Sullivan at the back post. He nearly poached a second with a shot that that skimmed just over the bar. Either side of that effort, Freddy Harvey-Larmar pulled off breath-taking saves to deny first Ewan Trevains then Sullivan.

Trevains pushed a shot just wide of the far post as Penzance threatened to run riot, but their profligacy almost proved costly when a gilt-edged chance fell to Morgan Jones. The Dobwalls defender, however, could not keep his shot down following a set-piece. Caspall blasted a pile-driver inches over the bar after a Sullivan cross was only half-cleared, before Dobwalls had another great chance on the stroke of half-time. In on goal, Levi Cable looked odds-on to score until thwarted by an impeccably timed Tyler Tonkin tackle.

Penzance’s nerves were finally settled nine minutes into the second half the when the pace of a vicious, in-swinging corner from James Butler foxed defenders, forwards and Harvey-Larmar alike. The ball nestled into the far corner to give the Mancunian left-footer his first goal for Penzance’s first team, albeit it in somewhat bizarre fashion. Another first following shortly afterwards as Andreas Calleja-Stayne recorded his first Magpies goal since rejoining from Falmouth Town, nodding home a loose ball from close range.

The three goal cushion gave Vercesi - with an eye on Tuesday’s League Cup semi-final – the freedom to make a quadruple substitution. Calleja-Stayne, Willis, Sullivan and Caspall were replaced by George Molcher, Ollie Butler, Hayden Waters and Jacob Trudgeon. And it was the latter who scored the final goal with a sublime lob over Harvey-Larmar after excellent work down the right by Rohan Bennetts. Dobwalls – with seven under-18 players in their squad – notched a deserved late consolation goal with an emphatic close range header from Alex Oshinyemi.  

Penzance: Harry Salmon, James Butler, Rohan Bennetts, Tyler Tonkin (captain), Sam Young, Andreas Calleja-Stayne (George Molcher 62), Ewan Trevains, Charlie Willis (Ollie Butler 62), Josh Turner, Lewis Caspall (Jacob Trudgeon 62), Silas Sullivan (Hayden Waters 62).

Unused sub: Will Trenoweth

Dobwalls: Freddy Harvey-Larmar, Morgan Jones, Fin Neville, Dan Frazer, Cam Dymond (captain), Tarran Hames (Louis Body 69), Raffi Causon (Scott Kemp 80), Dan Alfold, Alex Oshinyemi, Levi Cable.

Unused subs: Jack Ssgengendo, Kieran McCann

Referee: Scott Coutts

Assistants: Aimee Green, Robin Brown 

Attendance: 189

Cover photo and Match Report courtesy of James Wright