Malvern 2 – 3 Mousehole

Phew!

Not since the 28th of September had the loyal travelling Seagull fans seen their team win away from the comfort of El Parc de Trungle. Coach, train and car trips had, of late, become acts of hope rather than faith but that was all forgotten when Hayden Turner chipped the keeper from 30 yards to clinch this victory. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

The day began with fears of an amber weather warning threatening the safety of the return trip but our brave coach dwellers still set off from Penzance at 8am. What’s an amber warning when there’s three points to be won? Malvern stand is a bit of a throwback bringing memories of Cinderford but their pitch is a 5g carpet fit for the age of AI. “If you can’t play on that…”

The match started fairly evenly with Mousehole marginally shading the early exchanges but after eight minutes that margin became concrete when the first goal was notched. A slick training ground move saw the ball end up at the feet of Tim Nixon on the left. He found a half yard of space and whizzed the ball across the box. Feet flicked out from players on both sides but a defender got the final touch. Sadly for him this did not have the desired effect as it sent the ball looping over a helpless keeper and into the net.

Fifteen minutes later the lead was doubled much to the relief of the visitors. Some defensive errors had gifted Malvern a few chances and it always looked like a one goal lead would not be enough. Another great move this time released Oscar Massey down the right. He pinged the ball across the goalmouth. It reached the far post where Nixon waited, like a hungry bear ready to gobble up the chance. From a yard out he couldn’t, and didn’t, miss.

This season has seen a number of points dropped from winning positions so when Malvern pulled one back before half time the nerves in the away dugout were set to jangle. Space was given up as the Mousehole defence pushed up and the ball found its way to the Malvern forward Sam Clark. He used his splendid isolation wisely and hit the back of Chenoweth’s net with comparative ease. The aroma of a comeback filled the air as the home punters queued up for their half time cocoa.

One visiting fan was overheard to say that it was almost next goal wins as the second half began and so it was rather alarming when a Jack Symons hand made contact with a cross and the referee pointed to the spot. An hour was up when the resultant kick was converted. If this was a cup final then the jug was anyone’s now.

Oscar Massey had run his legs off and all he’d had to show for it was a offside goal when the score was still 2-1. He came off along with Jack Syoms to be replaced by Paulo Sousa and Mark Goldsworthy. No sign of Jake Ash playing for a draw here. From the moment the substitutions were made there was only ever one winner.

Mousehole were dominant without quite being able to find the net. Corner followed corner and every one looked like it would yield a goal but Malvern stood firm. Just as it looked like it would be another two points dropped the hitman lit up a dark evening with some magic.

A punt upfield was nodded on by Sauso and landed at Hayden’s feet. He controlled it, saw the keeper standing marginally too far forward and lifted the ball over him. It flew through the dark early evening sky in a beautiful arc and entered the goal just below the bar. Players, management and fans erupted in celebration.

Malvern tried to pull it back but came nowhere near Ollie’s goal. The final whistle ended three months of winless travels and sparked much joy in everyone wearing green.

Mousehole 4-0 Willand Rovers

The day had started with a crisis at the merchandise hut when the door could not be opened. Luckily for all the Christmas shoppers that problem was overcome but it took much longer than Mousehole took to unlock the Willand defence. “We’ve scored too early” is not something anyone has ever said so when Ryan Barrett netted in the second minute there was general delight and joy all around Trungle Parc.

The goal came when Tallan Mitchell flicked a pass to Hayden Turner. He got to it just before it crossed the byline and pulled it back to the onrushing Barrett. The galloping Geordie took one touch and lashed it across the keeper into the far side netting just inside the post. Actually, some people suggested it was a cross that took a lucky deflection but it’s Christmas so let’s be generous. He’s had a stop-go season with injuries so it was nice to see him in the scoresheet.

Six minutes later Barrett turned provider when he rolled a pass into the box for the waiting Mitchell. Tallan took a steadying touch then lashed it into the top corner. Actually, some people suggested that it took a deflection off a defender which took it over the keeper but it’s Christmas etc etc. Regardless of how the ball went it, two nil up within ten minutes was exactly what the seagulls needed after Tuesday defeat to Westbury.

Christmas truly did arrive early just after the quarter hour when Mitchell nicked the ball off the centre half about thirty yards out. He hurtled into the box just to the right of centre and whipped the ball in off the post to his left. Actually, some people suggested that he scuffed his shot and this sent the keeper the wrong way but it’s Christmas etc etc.

Three nil up with not twenty minutes gone and you could have been forgiven for thinking it was all over. The crowd sat back and waited for more goals to come but Willand made some slight tactical adjustments to close down the wide open spaces into which Mousehole had been running. They did create some openings at the other end but their shooting boots had been left at home and Ollie Chenoweth’s gloves were only needed to keep him warm.

The only thing missing from match was a first goal for Oscar Massey on his first start for the club. Fans waiting for that moment only had to wait ten minutes in to the second half. Paulo Sousa broke up a Willand attack and strode away from the Mousehole box with purpose. He passed to Massey who received the ball a good fifteen yards inside his own half but ahead of him was just one defender and a lot of grass. He sped off at pace and ran past the centre half as though he were stuck in cement. He sprinted towards the box as Turner’s run distracted the other defenders. Arriving in the box towards the right he looked up and rocketed the ball into the roof of the net. Actually, some people suggested that he…no they didn’t suggest anything else because that’s exactly what happened. A fabulous finish, a great way to get his first goal for the club and a lovely way to close the match down. At four nil all that was left was to secure the clean sheet and a really solid backline did just that. Four goals, three points and a clean sheet. Happy Christmas indeed.

Mousehole 0-2 Westbury United

They say that a week is a long time in politics. It had been just over a week since Mousehole had walloped Didcot five nil but that seemed like a lifetime ago by the time this match with Westbury was over. Where we had been magnificent against Didcot we were poor against Westbury.

The match started as so many of our games have recently with neither side able to gain the upper hand and neither side particularly looking like they wanted too. There were two early chances for the Seagulls. The first saw Jordan Hackett cut in from the left and fire over the bar from a tight angle. The second saw the normally deadly hitman Hayden Turner spurn a good chance from ten yards out. Set free by Tim Nixon the crowd breathed in ready to exhale a cheer as the ball nestled in the onion bag. What came out instead was a rasp of frustration as our second chance ended up joining the first in the cricket field.

Having survived those early scares Westbury became more adventurous and started making in-roads into Mousehole’s half as the home team shrank into their shells. The goal when it came was a bit of a shock as both teams had been shot-shy following the early exchanges.

After thirty-five minutes a midfield melee ended up with the ball at the Westbury right back’s feet. He curled a hopeful ball down the line. Maybe it was the wind, maybe it was some unexpected spin on the pass but Konte misjudged the flight of the ball and it sailed over his head into the path of the onrushing Joe Beardwell. He took one touch and then scuffed his shot past Ollie Chenoweth. Maybe if he’d hit it cleanly Ollie would have saved it but the finish summed up the move.

Mousehole needed to start the second half strongly but they never really got out the traps. Westbury having travelled up in a mini-bus rather than the usual coach had obviously become accustomed to keeping it tight and their back line was an airtight unit through which we could not find a passage.

Seventy minutes saw the introduction of debutant Oscar Massey. Having netted a-plenty for Falmouth before his move to Trungle there was optimism in the air as he jogged into position. Not long after he crossed the white-line he got his first chance. Coming in from the right of the box he sighted the goal and smashed his shot into the bar. Had that gone in we would probably have gone on to win but it wasn’t to be. In spite of making further substitutions and shape changes the Mousehole coaching staff couldn’t work out the conundrum set by the visitors.

With the clock ticking down and the cries from the sidelines getting more and more anxious Westbury dealt the fatal blow when the ball bounced in the box following a free kick. Daniel Restorick lashed it home and signalled to the bench to fire up the mini-bus ready to go home with the spoils.

A night which had begun with much hope ended in despair and a return to the drawing board. A win would have taken Mousehole to third; defeat left us still only five points off second so whilst heads were down everyone knew the season was still there for the taking.

A glance at the current Southern League table is all you need to realise what an exciting 2nd half to the season it promises to be.

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Five of the Best

After three winless away games the home comfort of Trungle Parc wrapped its arms around the Seagulls and brought a priceless victory.

Man of the Match was a well deserving Tallan Mitchell with two goals and an assist. In the end the scoreline didn’t flatter Mousehole but it could have been very different if the visitors had possessed a more potent forward line. On two or three occasions the Mousehole defence was split wide open only for the men in red to squander very presentable chances.

Ollie Chenoweth’s work in defending corners was exemplary; he landed more punches than Mike Tyson did in last week’s fiasco of a fight. At the other end the scoring began just before the half hour when a lovely cross from Hackett was turned in by Nixon. Tallan almost sewed up the win with a pre-half-time brace but jitters returned when Goldie was sent off for what looked like a yellow card challenge.

Any concerns disappeared when Hackett slammed home not long into the second half and scoring was nicely rounded off by substitute Ntege.

A great win and hopefully a launch pad for the top three.

Last Gasp Header Wards Off Defeat.

Larkhall 1-1 Mousehole

There has been a major transformation at Larkhall since we visited last season. New floodlights, a spanking new stand and last but not least a beautiful 3g pitch. Plastic pitches are not to everyone’s taste, don’t mention Bristol Cleeve, but this one is as close to playing on real grass on the first day of the season as you can get. This set the scene for what should have been a great display of football.

Sadly the weather doesn’t care what your plans are and in spite of the pitch being protected somewhat from the worst of it this was not a day for pretty football. The wind and rain were hurtling in from the south. The conditions made it tough for both sides with Mousehole having the better of the earlier exchanges. A front two of Hayden Turner and Tim Nixon were finding space and getting shots off without really threatening.

The tide seemed to turn for no apparent reason after about twenty-five minutes. The home side had had no shots up to that point and had not been able to harness the advantage of the wind at their backs but suddenly they realised that they needed a lead before facing the wind in the second half. On two or three occasions they came very close but their shots were either blocked or sliced wide.

With half time approaching Mousehole clearly felt that being level at the break was almost like being ahead. They pushed forward with a long ball out to the right for Turner to chase. He arrived at the same time as the defender for a fifty fifty challenge but the linesman felt that our hitman had committed a foul. Turner disagreed in no uncertain terms and when this was reported to the referee he received a second yellow. It seemed a harsh decision and was certainly out of character but the interval came with us down to ten!

The good news was the score; nil nil. With the wind at our backs the game proved to be just as even in the second half with the casual observer probably not noticing that we were down a man. Larkhall did start to turn the screw and Ollie Chenoweth made a fabulous save with a quarter of the game left pushing a goal bound shut onto the post. Mousehole went straight up the other end and Nixon nearly scored.

It was looking like first goal wins as the clock wound down and the bad news for the visitors was that the goal went Larkhall’s way. Out on the left-wing Alexander Lambert found some space and looked up. Was it a cross? Was it a shot? He’ll claim the latter, your reporter claims the former. It doesn’t matter because the ball looped over Ollie’s head and he could only watch as the wind helped the ball to fly and whack the far post.

We’ve not had much luck with goal frames lately so how would it be here? Of course, it went the wrong way and landed in the goal. The home crowd were jubilant, the home players were a little relieved to have pushed their advantage. The visitors could see a six-hour journey home with another empty feeling.

Hold on though! Shortly after the goal Ross Derham and the recently returned-from-the-States Mark Goldsworthy were thrown on to join James Ward. Where we had previously had our backs to the wall we now started getting forward. Yes, we were a little open to the counter attack but needs must and we had to go for it.

As the clock struck ninety minutes Mousehole won a corner. It’s not a secret that our success from corners is not exactly at the level of Arsenal or Everton so we could forgive the Seagulls in the stand for not expecting what happened next.

Before we get to that though we need to give credit to Tim Nixon for winning the corner. He chased a long ball from Max which looked impossible to reach before it went out. Not only did he reach it, he hooked his foot round it to win the corner. Totally unselfish running after a lost cause. That summed up our spirit.

Captain Calver jogged over to the right corner and raised his hand. Your reporter couldn’t remember if that signalled a whip into the box or a slick passing movement on the edge. He hoped for the latter and was rewarded when Calver floated it on the wind beyond the keeper’s reach, over Max’s head and into space at the far post. As the ball started its descent there was no one there. Was this going to be another lost chance. The ball dropped slowly out of leaden skies and then, as if from nowhere, James Wardy Ward arrived with his forehead of granite. If he was Scottish he’d drink Irn Bru and bend steel girders for fun. He rose above a watching defence and walloped the ball past the keeper. The sonic boom from his contact sent shockwaves through the crowd as the visiting bench and travelling fans leapt for joy. None leapt higher than the scorer had but it was a moment sheer joy on a wet and windy day.

Another away point leaves Mousehole level on points with the last play-off place and only three behind third place. Behind Yate the top of the table is as tight as that lid on the jam jar you’ve not tried to open since August. And so we move on to Didcot and the great shave.