Match Report – Camelford 14th October 2017

MOUSEHOLE 1-0 CAMELFORD

SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE CUP sponsored by Walter C Parson Funeral Directors

SECOND ROUND TIE

SATURDAY 14TH OCTOBER 2017, AT TRUNGLE PARC

Mousehole pulled off the major upset of the second round of the League Cup on Saturday, beating higher-division opponents Camelford 1-0 in their first competitive fixture at the re-furbished Trungle Parc after playing their first ten matches away from home – and in so doing achieved their first ‘clean sheet’ of the season.

This was The Seagulls’ third win in four games after league victories at Bude Town and Wadebridge Town, and after an earlier against-the-odds 3-2 win at table-topping Ludgvan in the first round they now eagerly await a third round tie on New Year’s Day (with the draw to be made this week).

Both teams had players missing from their regular match-day squads.  Mousehole were without the unavailable Bradley Wills and top scorer Jorome Slew, but Liam Andrew was fit after a broken nose suffered in the recent Leeds United ‘warm up’, Tyler Tonkin retained an unaccustomed right back position for the second match, recent signing ex-Helston Athletic defensive midfielder Jordan Adlard made his second start, and Connor Davey was available to return to the line-up.

Camelford fielded a team comprising several players who represent Cornwall Under-18s, including influential midfielder and County captain Charlie Hambly.

Each side had recorded two league wins, two draws and five defeats, and in keeping with the form guide the game was closely contested on the day between two evenly matched teams.

Mousehole started the game on the front foot, with Liam Andrew, Jordan Adlard and Matt McIlroy all coming close to opening the scoring within the first 15 minutes, but the visitors came back into the game, putting two presentable chances over and then being denied on 38 minutes by goalkeeper Steve Parker-Billinge’s spectacular diving save from a curling free kick from 25 yards.

The second half resumed with attacking play by both sides, Caleb Marsden firing wide for The Seagulls after a break from halfway on 49 minutes, captain Billy Curtis acrobatically clearing a goalbound header off the line under pressure at the other end after 55, and The Camels’ excellent young goalkeeper Luke Gwillam making a superb save to keep out Luke Johnson’s fierce drive on 62.

The breakthrough came in Mousehole’s favour after 70 minutes when Luke Johnson made another driving run past two defenders down the right and his square pass was calmly side-footed in from 15 yards by Matt McIlroy.

MOUSEHOLE’S SCORER MATT MCILROY (9) THANKS LUKE JOHNSON FOR THE PASS FOR HIS MATCH-WINNING GOAL, WITH CONNOR DAVEY (LEFT), JOSH OTTO (PARTLY HIDDEN) AND LIAM ANDREW (RIGHT) ADDING THEIR CONGRATULATIONS, WHILE CORNWALL UNDER-18s GOALKEEPER LUKE GWILLAM (IN YELLOW) COLLECTS THE BALL OUT OF THE NET

To their credit the visitors responded in great style, and an eventful five minute spell saw a decisive point in the match when Steve Parker-Billinge produced a magnificent point-blank double-save to prevent a certain equaliser, followed by more close calls as a shot just went past the post and the alert Max Hill then blocked a possible chance.

Having weathered the storm with resolute defending, the hosts wasted chances to seal victory with a couple of fast breaks, and Matt McIlroy was then thwarted by Gwillam before hitting the post with a 20-yard free kick.  But it was the Premier Division side who almost took the game into a further half hour of extra time when a header across goal trickled narrowly wide on 85 minutes, and in the final act of a fascinating match a difficult close-range chance was scooped over the bar deep into added-on time.

Manager Kevin Richards has now won his first two matches since taking over as Mousehole’s first team boss and along with Academy Director Jason Blunt will be looking with confidence to take the side’s recent form and new-found resilience into the next run of fixtures.  This Saturday (21st) Mousehole play their first League match of the season at Trungle Parc when Dobwalls are the visitors (3pm).

Mousehole:  Steve Parker-Billinge, Tyler Tonkin, Billy Curtis (captain), Max Hill, Liam Andrew, Jordan Adlard, Kevin Lawrence, Connor Davey, Luke Johnson, Matt McIlroy, Caleb Marsden

Substitutes:  Josh Otto (for Caleb Marsden, 50), Danny Park, Yeshi Briar, Joshua Storey

Scorer:  Matt McIlroy (70)

Referee:  Mike Glanville

Attendance:  68

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