Penzance defied the absence of a string of key players to grind out a gutsy win away to in-form St Austell. Injury, holidays and work commitments deprived the Magpies of Mark Vercesi, Cam McCabe, Jordan Daniell, Liam Andrew, Darryl Richards and Will Trenoweth. The Ralph twins were drafted in from Pendeen Rovers, Jack partnering Tyler Tonkin in central defence and Alex spear-heading the forward line in front of Rolandos Samnauskas and Jacob Trudgeon, and the visitors overcame a rocky start to record an unexpected first win in four matches.
The home side were all over their guests from the first whistle, Tyler Cheshire pulling a shot inches wide then Mikey Flores saving twice from Chris Kilbey. In the 25th minute, Flores rushed off his line to block a Cheshire shot but the ball looped up to Kieron Bishop whose goalbound header was heroically cleared off the line by Silas Sullivan, deputising for McCabe at left-back. In effecting the stop, Sullivan collided with the goal frame and was unable to continue, Max Everard coming on in his place.
When Flores accomplished an acrobatic tip-over of a Harvey Hann header, one started to wonder if it might just be Penzance’s day. Two minutes later, Frazer Cadman released Trudgeon down the right and Samnauskas soared to meet the latter’s pin-point cross, cushioning an inch-perfect header back inside the near post of wrong-footed keeper Piran Jones.
The Lilywhites resumed their onslaught after the break, Cheshire seeing a deflected shot hit the crossbar. But, with some well-disciplined and brave defending including another goal-line clearance, this time from Tonkin, and more excellent saves from the superb Flores, Penzance held out. Four minutes from time the keeper, on only his second Magpies appearance after a five month injury absence, sprawled low to his right to claw away a ferocious shot from Hann and seal a memorable win.
Penzance: Mikey Flores, Archie Reynolds, Silas Sullivan (Max Everard 28), Kevin Lawrence, Jack Ralph, Tyler Tonkin (captain), Frazer Cadman, Jacob Trudgeon, Kam Collins, Rolandos Samnauskas, Alex Ralph (Kai Baxter 88). Unused sub: Robertas Samnauskas
St Austell: Piran Jones, Ed Timmons, Ben Thomas, Zack O’Connor (Josh Margetts 53), Harvey Hann (captain), Owen Rosevear, Neil Slateford, Josh Penrose (Tom Guest 80), Tyler Cheshire (Matt Searle 8), Chris Kilbey (Martin Duff 73), Kieron Bishop
Referee: Robert Fleetham