PENZANCE RESERVES 3, TROON 2

Penzance Reserves made it two wins out of two on home soil for the season, putting behind them a heavy defeat away to Dropship by edging out Troon in a thriller under the Penlee Park lights writes James Wright.

Daz Smith’s side got off to the perfect start, Fin Harry firing them ahead after just five minutes. James Butler nearly grabbed a second shortly afterwards, but was denied by a tidy save by Finley Ovett. Troon hit back strongly. From Marcus Grasso’s cross from the right, Lee Lawry stretched keeper Louis Baxter into a good stop. Showing some nimble footwork to create himself an opening cutting in from the same flank, Grasso then equalised with an excellent shot.

Penzance regained the lead on the stroke of half-time with an stunning solo goal by Kizzy Snowden. Leaving a trail of defenders in his wake, the perennial top-scorer jinked through from just inside the opposition half before tucking the ball past Ovett for a first goal of the season.

Troon levelled again, almost straight after the restart, captain Jonathan Skiller hooking a shot goalwards following a corner with home substitute Ashley Mead just unable to clear the ball off the line. The teams then traded chances in a pulsating end-to-end contest. Ovett saved well from both Archie Ward and Fin Sharp whilst, at the other end, Mthokozisi pushed a shot just wide when in on Baxter.

Seven minutes from time another Penzance sub Hayden Waters had a forceful run into the box curtailed by a clumsy challenge. Snowden stepped up to smash home the winner from the penalty spot, sending his side up to fourth in the table and inflicting upon Troon a first defeat of the fledgling campaign.

Penzance: Louis Baxter, Charlie Palmer, Cameron McCabe, Ryan Wilkinson, Ollie Page, Kameron Collins, Lewis Hitchens, Fin Harry, Kizzy Snowden, James Butler, Adam Lewis. Rolling subs: Connor Thomas, Ashley Mead, Fin Sharp, Hayden Waters, Archie Ward

Troon: Finley Ovett, Marcus Grasso, Luke Goldsworthy, Jonathan Skiller, Jaedon Andrew, Ross Carter, Aaron Gates, James Jeffery, Kier Hull, Gareth Honer, Lee Lawry.

Rolling subs: Mthokozisi Sibanda, Liam Warne, Benjamin Stokes, Jack Collins

Referee: Scott Coutts

Attendance: 108