PENZANCE 5, BUDE TOWN 1

With morning leaders St Austell not playing, Penzance picked up the three points they needed to jump to the top of the Premier Division West table, but were pushed all the way by visiting Bude Town, only pulling clear with three goals in the last eleven minutes.

The opening half hour was cagey. Bude’s teenage midfielder Harry Banks tested Harry Salmon with a shot from range whilst, at the other end, Jack Arthur raced off his line to dispossess George Molcher – played in by a brilliant Steve Burt through-ball. Ewan Trevains made the break-through in the 37th minute, turning inside on to his right foot to arrow an unstoppable shot high into the far corner from just outside the box. With an equally emphatic drive, Jacob Trudgeon doubled the lead just before the break.

Bude enjoyed a strong start to the second half and reduced the deficit when, on a counterattack after Charlie Willis had fired against their goal frame, Billy Hopcroft beat Salmon with a heavily deflected shot. 

Penzance Player Manager Mark Vercesi made a series of changes that enabled his side to regain the momentum. Heading home from a pinpoint Archie Reynolds cross, Willis thought he had re-inflated Penzance’s cushion, only to be flagged offside. The crucial third goal was delivered eleven minutes from time though by the first of the substitutes – Hayden Waters – after a very easy-on-the-eye move.

Having earlier been denied by the woodwork and an offside flag, Willis rounded Arthur to finally notch his deserved goal – a seventh of the season that pulls him level with Josh Turner at the top of the Magpies scoring chart. Deep into stoppage time Jahmali Prowse, skilfully with the outside of his boot, concluded the scoring with his second goal in as many games, and his first at Penlee Park in the Peninsula League.

Your Magpies MOTM, Steve Burt

“It was a tight game. Credit to Bude – they came here and played good football, had a decent amount of possession and had a few chances,” reflected Vercesi. “I think what probably won it in the end was fitness and having a strong bench. The players we put on today made a difference They came on full of energy and enthusiasm. It is probably the first time the club has been top of the League for a good fifteen years or so. It has been a long time coming so now we have got to make it count and stay there. We are in October still, so it means nothing.”

Penzance: Harry Salmon, Archie Reynolds, Steve Burt, Ben Palmer (Mark Vercesi 82), Tyler Tonkin (captain), Andreas Calleja-Stayne, James Butler (Hayden Waters 61), Charlie Willis (Will Trenoweth 88), George Molcher (Ollie Butler 78), Jacob Trudgeon (Jahmali Prowse 69), Ewan Trevains

Bude Town: Jack Arthur, Jake Woodland, Fin Haste, Ewan Reeves, Harry Hopcroft (captain), Harry Banks, Harrison Swatton, Nathan Colley, Ray Spear, Billy Hopcroft, Piran Friend.

Subs: Aryan Ahmadzade, Tega Olaosebikan, Steve Hackett, Marley Cunningham

Referee: Leigh Michael

Assistants: Justin Moses, Anita Gittins

Attendance: 207

Match Report and photo courtesy of James Wright

You can find more photos of yesterdays game on the Sport in Cornwall by Steve Winters Photography Facebook page