Penzance recovered from losing their captain Tyler Tonkin to a nasty injury in the opening quarter hour, and then falling a goal behind, to record an impressive victory and move into the quarter-finals of the Ward Williams Cornwall Senior Cup for a second consecutive season.
Manager Ashley Waters rotated his squad, restoring Ollie Butler, Jacob Trudgeon, Kam Collin, Rolandos Samnauskas and Mikey Flores to the starting line-up in place of injured Alfie Turner and rested Mark Vercesi, Michael Fitchett, James Butler and Will Trenoweth. Experimentally, Frazer Cadman started in Turner’s left-back slot, but was soon switched to a more accustomed central defensive role when Tonkin dislocated his shoulder after just fourteen minutes. Before the Magpies had time to properly re-adjust, they found themselves behind, Jack Noy profiting from some excellent trickery and a pinpoint centre by Dan Greet with an easy tap-in.
Played in by a George Molcher flick-on, Phil Cattran almost doubled Mullion’s head, but pulled his shot just wide. The miss proved something of a turning point. Four minutes later the experienced forward, so often Penzance’s nemesis over the past two seasons, was withdrawn injured, and the tide began to turn. Five minutes before the break, Ollie Butler fed a pass from wide on the left to Silas Sullivan who in turn set up Charlie Willis to dink the ball home – his third goal in as many games.
Then James Butler, Tonkin’s replacement, wowed the Magpies faithful in the Jimmy Dann stand with an exhilarating, touchline-hugging, burst in front of them, and a cross on the run that was gleefully smashed home by Samnauskas. Penlee Park was in raptures, and the Magpies were flying.
Having been denied by two excellent Toby Fletcher saves in identical circumstances in the first half, Liam Andrew made it third time lucky with a header from a Cadman corner to stretch Penzance’s lead just before the hour mark. Then, shortly after being the victim of a clumsy foul by Harry Roberts which earned the Mullion player a straight red card, Sullivan bagged the fourth, skilfully converting a Jacob Trudgeon centre from wide on the right.
Two teenagers linked-up for the final goal. Ollie Butler clipped a pass back into the path of Dylan Walter, on for Kam Collins. Walter drilled an accurate left foot shot inside Fletcher’s near post to record his first goal for the first team and become Penzance’s ninth different scorer in the past three matches, confirming a place in the quarter-finals that will be staged in February.
Penzance: Mikey Flores, Archie Reynolds, Frazer Cadman, Ollie Butler, Liam Andrew, Tyler Tonkin (captain) (James Butler 14), Charlie Willis, Jacob Trudgeon, Kam Collins (Dylan Walter 68), Rolandos Samnauskas (Michael Fitchett 60), Silas Sullivan (Freddie Neaum 78). Unused sub: Will Trenoweth
Mullion: Toby Fletcher, Ryan Tonkin, Ben Matthews, Jack Green, Luke Hunter, Harry Roberts, Dan Greet, Phil Cattran, Jack Noy, Brodie Kemp, George Molcher. Subs (all used): Luke Tripconey, Dan Stidwell, Jack Gray, Ed Estall, David James
Referee: Scott Coutts
Assistants: Derek Hughes, Neil Rudkin
Facebook Live Stream sponsored by Antony Handyman