PENZANCE 5, MILLBROOK 1

Penzance extended their unbeaten run in the Peninsula League to ten games, nine of which have been won, with five different players finding the net in a resounding victory over Millbrook at Penlee Park writes James Wright.

A dominant opening ten minutes saw the Magpies monopolise possession and go close through Josh Turner, Lewis Caspall and Charlie Willis. It was no surprise therefore that they took the lead just before the quarter-hour mark when a Willis corner was emphatically headed home by Silas Sullivan – resuming captaincy for the day in the absence of honeymooning Tyler Tonkin.

Ewan Trevains (twice) and Willis both went close to extending the lead before Millbrook hauled themselves level in the 30th minute. A penalty was awarded for handball against player-manager Mark Vercesi, and Lee Robinson confidently slotted the ball past Harry Salmon.

The match quickly and decisively swung back in Penzance’s favour with a two goal salvo before the break. Firstly, Willis headed home a cross from the right by Turner. Then the latter jinked his way through the heart of the Millbrook defence before tucking the ball low past Alan Tercjak. “We’ve seen that all season from Josh, whether he’s playing centre-back or, like today, on the wing,” eulogised boss Vercesi. “He can beat several players – he’s unstoppable on some his runs. It was a brilliant goal – Lionel Messi-like.

”Turner’s star rose even higher as he bagged himself another assist just before the hour mark, rounding Tercjak before threading the ball back from a tight angle to Jacob Trudgeon to bundle over the line from close range. The cushion permitted the Penzance management to make three substitutions, and one of the new arrivals almost made an immediate impact. Sam Young – sidelined with injury since September – stretched Tercjak into an excellent save diving to his left with a clever shot curling just inside the far post.

Another of the substitutes – teenage left-footer Hayden Waters – also tested Tercjak with a viciously struck drive that the ‘Brook custodian did well to parry. Set up by Charlie Young, Trudgeon then dipped a shot just over the bar, and injured himself in the process, opening the door for another young prospect – Victor Mullaly - to make his debut. Five minutes from time it was Waters though who concluded the scoring with a low shot – his first goal for the first team. “He’s a good young player – I really like Hayden,” remarked Vercesi. “He’s done really well for us and he probably should have scored a few more by now.”

“We spread the goals around among people who haven’t scored recently, so it was nice to get them back on the score-sheet,” concluded the manager as his team consolidated third place in the table behind pace-setters Liskeard Athletic and Elburton Villa.

Penzance: Harry Salmon, Archie Reynolds, Silas Sullivan (captain) (James Butler 46), Josh Turner (Hayden Waters 63), Mark Vercesi, Rohan Bennetts, Ewan Trevains (Sam Young 63), Jacob Trudgeon (Victor Mullaly 76), Charlie Willis (Lucas Potts 63), Charlie Young, Lewis Caspall.

Unused subs: Sam Young, Rohan Bennetts, Alfie Turner

Millbrook: Alan Tercjak, Toby Burt, Alfie Shannon, Jason Richards (captain) (Karl White 70), James Manuel, Kobi Lau, Cam Stephens, Charlie Brown, Lee Robinson, Joe Rutherford, Liam Manchip.

Unused subs: Hamish Kerr, Rohan Brown

Referee: Leigh Michael

Assistants: Alan Hoon, Alan Smith

Attendance: 105

Cover photo courtesy of James Wright