STICKER 0, PENZANCE 1

Penzance bounced back from their heavy midweek defeat in the Cornwall Senior Cup, putting in a thoroughly competent performance to inflict upon Sticker only a second defeat in ten Peninsula League games this season.

Welcoming back Lewis Caspall and Charlie Willis, both sorely missed at Newquay, Mark Vercesi’s men were on it from the first minute at Burngullow Park. Jacob Trudgeon was just unable to make a clean connection with a Ewan Trevains cross, then Steve Burt had a goal-bound drive charged down. The best chance of the half came in the 22nd minute when Caspall played in Willis with a slide-rule pass, but Harry Ashton rushed off his line to save the midfielder’s shot with is legs.

The home goalkeeper was also called upon to repel efforts from Trudgeon and Tyler Tonkin before the break whilst, at the other end, Owen Rosevear fired over at the end of a promising Sticker attack down the left.

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All photos courtesy of James Wright.

Penzance were back on the attack immediately after the restart. Andreas Calleja-Stayne had a shot blocked with Willis firing the rebound just wide. Then Vercesi – making his first start since early August – curled a free-kick over the bar. It was not all Penzance, however. Cutting in from the left flank, Cam Bidgood cracked in a ferocious shot that Harry Salmon did well to tip over.

Penzance made the breakthrough just before the hour mark. Ashton sprawled low to his right to push aside a Caspall shot but could not get a clean punch on Trudgeon’s resultant corner which plopped conveniently on to the forehead of Vercesi. It was the Player-Manager’s second goal of the season, and a third nearly followed shortly afterwards when he nodded just wide from another flag kick.

Sticker pushed hard for an equaliser in the final stages, and Salmon was required to execute another brilliant tip-over save, this time from substitute Ethan Skyba. But the Magpies held on to pull to just one point behind their second placed opponents with a game in hand and set themselves up for a huge week during which they travel to title rivals St Austell and Callington Town.

MAN OF THE MATCH

For a clean sheet, including some brilliant saves, keeper Harry Salmon was Man of the Match at Sticker today. He is pictured after the game with No.1 Ultra Paul Smitham.

Photo courtesy of Alfie Turner.

Sticker: Harry Ashton, Josh Penrose, Dan Hocking, Owen Rosevear, Harvey Hann (captain), Sam Eccleston, Connor Cooke, Eli Evans, Evan Tresidder, Cam Bidgood, Harley Sims. Unused subs: Ethan Skyba, Ewan Warren, Sol Wilson, Logan Capeling, Chris Kilby

Penzance: Harry Salmon, Archie Reynolds, Steve Burt (George Molcher 83), Ben Palmer, Ewan Trevains, Tyler Tonkin (captain), Mark Vercesi (Jahmali Prowse 66), Andreas Calleja-Stayne, Charlie Willis (Ollie Butler 90), Jacob Trudgeon (James Butler 73), Lewis Caspall. Unused sub: Wade Brown

Referee: William Bennett

Assistants: David Becker, Cally Parsons

Match Report courtesy of James Wright