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.

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.

Mousehole (C)Leave Empty Handed.

This game swung on a decision by the officials when the score was one all. It was a sliding doors moment and could affect both teams’ seasons.

A fairly even match had seen Mousehole take the lead in the first half, slightly against the run of play. An error by the home keeper, when a misplaced pass went straight to Torin Ntege, was quickly punished by the young forward as he slammed it back into the net.

One nil up at half time was flattering to the visitors and the home side came out desperate to make amends. Their onslaught lasted twenty five minutes before they finally broke through although Mousehole will be disappointed with how it came. A floated free kick from the right found the head of Cleeve’s centre half and with little resistance he slammed it past Chenoweth.

From there it was a ding dong battle With both sides making chances.

And then it happened. The doors slid.

The ball fell into Ollie challinor’s path on the edge of the box, he controlled it and guided it in to the far inside netting. It went in, bounced out off the wheel stanchion and ran away. The crowd waited for the referee to signal a goal. Both benches waited too, they both saw it go in. They’re still waiting because the referee and his assistants “didn’t see it” go in.

Play went on, sort of, as the Mousehole players hollered their disbelief to no avail. This shock led inevitably to a home goal as the Bishops cleaved an opening. A ball across goal from the right again found a player in space, alone, in splendid isolation. At six foot five it’s amazing no one saw him and thought to mark him and he gratefully plonked the cross home.

And that was how it ended. Another lead dropped, another decision going against the seagulls, another long coach journey home licking wounds.

Between their starting XI Yate had over 1250 matches at Step 2 and above! Including over 150 in the professional divisions. They had won all 8 of their home matches this season by an aggregate score of 13-1.

Thus, with a little trepidation, the seagulls arrived on a dry but bitterly cold night. Our fans turned up in good numbers to swell a near 400 crowd and they were not to be disappointed with the display. Adopting a more defensive approach that is the norm, Mousehole were airtight at the back but allowed themselves to be free-flowing going forward. They had the better chances early on and took the lead when Hayden Turner fizzed in a cross that Joseph Guest flicked over his own keeper. More a good host than a good guest! The one frustration of the night was that the lead disappeared so quickly. A flashing move down the left caught Mousehole cold and Marlon Jackson smashed it home. 30 minutes gone, honours even and it stayed that way till the half. Neither side really creating much.

The second half was a tale of attack, Yate’s, versus defence, Mousehole’s. Whilst the Bluebells rang on the door a number of times they found no way past a very solid defence held together by player of the match Ollie Chenoweth. On the only occasion he was beaten Medo Konte was on the line to repel the ball. A valiant point nearly became a fabulous three when Mousehole broke away near the end. He won’t like the tag, but Saturday’s Super Sub Ross Derham found space in the Yate box as the seconds ticked away. The ball reached him. He opened up his body to find the angle but pushed the ball just wide. Not many teams will get points at top of the table Yate this season and so this was definitely a good one.

We’re away again on Saturday playing on the plastic at Bishop’s Cleeve. We’re on a mini-roll at the moment, here’s to keeping it moving.

An even first half ended nil all with BMF squandering the best chances.

They missed a few more openings before Mousehole’s class showed.

The turning point was the arrival of Ross Derham. He assisted Tim Nixon for the first, then scored the second. Then, for good luck, set up Max Hill for the coup de grace.

The game ended badly when the BMF skipper was red-carded for a nasty challenge. But it’s back to winning ways in the league.

They talk about banana skins when it comes to cup ties and this was definitely a potential one.

For a good 25 mins we huffed and puffed to little effect, then a bit of Barrett magic sent Torin through and he beat the keeper with aplomb.

Half-time one up but Blazey were starting to look tired.

In the end Mousehole’s class and superior fitness told but no one, except maybe Ollie Chenoweth, would begrudge the Saints their consolation goal.

We’re in it to win it so bring on the quarters.

Two penalties? No. Just one.

A night that started promisingly ended with rancour and disappointment.

Tallan Mitchell’s early goal after just two minutes was a false dawn. Despite dominating possession, Mousehole could not increase their lead and a defensive error gifted Tavistock the equaliser.

Having been denied a certain penalty, the Seagulls went into halftime feeling hard done by. To their cost, they seemed to carry this feeling into the second half, as Tavistock always looked the more dangerous.

When the visitors scored from a contentious penalty award there was a feeling that the evening would not end well.

In spite of more penalty box entries than in any match this season Mousehole could not break through a solid defence and failed to have a meaningful shot on target.

Another home defeat, another disappointing evening, but we’re still early in the season and Saturday’s trip to Cinderford is a quick chance to turn things back to the positive.