MOUSEHOLE 0-2 HELSTON ATHLETIC

CORNWALL SENIOR CUP 2nd ROUND

SATURDAY 10th NOVEMBER 2018, AT TRUNGLE PARC

 

Having reached a first-ever Final in last season’s Cornwall Senior Cup and already caused three cup upsets this term, Mousehole will feel a tinge of disappointment after being knocked out on their own turf by nearby Helston Athletic from the Division above.  And there will also be continuing concern after unlucky keeper Jason Robertson was taken to hospital after a serious ocollision early in the second half.

 

Mousehole had already beaten Premier Division Newquay and Sticker away and Millbrook at home, but Saturday’s visitors proved to be a much stiffer proposition.  The Seagulls came into the game with high expectations, especially after five consecutive wins, but Helston were also on a fine run of form having secured two important away League victories inside the last week.

 

There was little to choose between the two sides in the first half, the only noteworthy incidents coming within the space of a minute at the midway point.  Keeper Jason Robertson got down smartly on the line to claw out a low 10-yard drive from the visitors’ Scott Beattie, while at the other end Hamza Kaid’s dangerous cross from the right was somehow scuffed away from the lurking Gerens James from a couple of yards out.

 

Seven minutes into the second half, Helston’s Phil Cattran and Mousehole’s Billy Curtis and Jason Robertson all converged at speed on a through ball, and although the keeper was favourite to collect, the collision resulted in a serious neck and head injury.  Cattran escaped with a yellow card for his over-forceful challenge, but Robertson was laid out for nearly ten minutes while receiving treatment on the pitch, and after briefly resuming he was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with whiplash and concussion.

 

On 75 minutes Mousehole came within a hair’s breadth of taking the lead when Paulo Sousa’s shot was parried by keeper Barrie Wyatt and Gerens James’ header from the rebound was chested off the line by Kirk Davies.

 

And just two minutes later the game swung Helston’s way when it was, ironically, Cattran who volleyed past substitute keeper Paul Williams after Scott Beattie’s header from a disputed free kick fell nicely on the edge of the box.  Athletic were in no mood to let go of their lead and their tough tackling, especially on danger man Hamza Kaid, earned more yellow cards despite their vociferous protests.

 

With referee Kevin Knowles signalling 15 minutes of added time, The Seagulls stepped up the pressure as Calum Elliot moved up into midfield, and started to play their best football of the match, but they were unable to fashion any clear-cut chances against a resolute defence.

 

Helston scored a second goal on 90+10 to remove any possibility of extra time and thoughts of the game ending in darkness.  Outstanding midfielder Matthew Bye collected a quickly taken left-sided short corner and swerved a superb shot past Paul Williams into the far corner from near the angle of the penalty area.

 

In this, the first of four huge matches on successive Saturdays, Mousehole can take some consolation from the fact that Helston had to be at their very best on the day, with their jubilant celebrations clearly suggesting this was a big win for them.

 

It’s another Cup day at Trungle Parc this coming Saturday (17th), this time in the third round of the League Cup against Premier Division leaders Plymouth Argyle Reserves – the fifth higher-Division side Mousehole will have faced this season.  Kick off is at 2pm, with extra time and penalties to decide the tie if necessary, and as another sizeable crowd is expected spectators travelling by car are advised to arrive early.

 

The following Saturday (24th), The Seagulls return to League action when they travel to Lux Parc to face an interesting challenge at Division One West leaders Liskeard Athletic, who have won all ten of their games so far.  Then, on December 1st, it’s a local derby at Penzance in the first round of the Cornwall Charity Cup.

 

Mousehole v Helston Athletic: Jason Robertson, Tyler Tonkin, Billy Curtis (captain), Calum Elliot, Tom Hands, Luke Hunter, Steve Burt, Paulo Sousa, Hamza Kaid, Gerens James, Hermann Niamke.

 

Substitutes: Craig Wilcox (for Hermann Niamke, 58), Paul Williams (for Jason Robertson, 62), Mark Richards (for Tom Hands, 88), Ryan Andrew, Lorenzo Qerimi.

 

Helston scorers: Phil Cattran (77), Matthew Bye (90+10).

 

Referee: Kevin Knowles.     Attendance: 126

 

LUDGVAN 1-11 MOUSEHOLE

SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGE, DIVISION ONE WEST

SATURDAY 3rd NOVEMBER 2018, AT FAIRFIELD

Mousehole picked up the expected three points at nearby Ludgvan on Saturday and in the process boosted their all-important goal difference.  The Seagulls have now won their last five games, scoring 27 goals while conceding just 5, and this latest success lifts them up to fifth place in the league table ahead of two consecutive Cup Saturdays.

Ludgvan remain winless and rooted to bottom spot after 12 League games, but to their credit are at least managing to recruit enough players to fulfil their scheduled fixtures and maintain their place in the West Division after the departure in the summer of last season’s runners-up squad.

Indeed, the players who turned out for The Hurlers on Saturday put up a gallant and defiant first-half showing to restrict the visitors to a slender 2-1 margin at the interval, but they were run off their feet in a nine-goal onslaught in the second half.

The first half started promisingly for Kevin Nicholson’s men, with the new player-manager in the starting X1 and providing constant prompting from the back.  Paulo Sousa scored for Mousehole after 3 minutes, prodding home from close in after a defensive mistake, and by contrast Lorenzo Qerimi doubled the lead on 14 minutes with a thumping 18-yard half-volley into the roof of the net from Steven Ziboth’s left-wing run and a pulled back low cross.

But the hosts earned themselves a goal after 20 minutes when the direct-running sole striker Jamie Nicholls was fouled just inside the area by Ryan Andrew and duly slotted home from the penalty spot.  Despite Mousehole’s possession and continuous attacking, a combination of wasteful finishing and committed defending kept the half-time score to 2-1 – probably Ludgvan’s best 45 minutes of their troubled season.

Nicholson brought on three substitutes at the start of the second half in an attempt to convert superiority into goals, and within seconds Paulo Sousa tapped in another close range shot after a searching cross from the left.  Goals then followed at regular intervals as the game flowed mainly in one direction, with the tiring home side rarely able to get hold of the ball or escape from their own half.  On 50 minutes it was 4-1 as young left-back Tom Hands’ cross-cum-shot bobbled over the line.  Gerens James then got on the scoresheet on 57 with a header into an empty net after Nicholson’s flighted free kick from 25 yards had bounced back from the post.  The striker then notched his second four minutes later with another header from inside the six yard box this time from Hermann Niamke’s cross.

Paulo Sousa was first to his hat-trick in the 74th minute with a curling free kick into the top corner to take the score to 7-1, and the beleaguered Hurlers conceded an unlucky own goal with ten minutes left on the clock.  The Seagulls were in merciless mood and Gerens James duly completed his own hat-trick on 82 after Sousa’s fierce drive had been parried, and Sousa assisted on 85 as Hamza Kaid headed in the pinpoint cross to reach double figures.  It was 11-1 in the first minute of added-on time as Sousa completed a remarkable afternoon’s work with his fourth goal after Tyler Tonkin marked his return to the club with a great surging run from 60 yards out.

Mousehole’s next two fixtures are hugely anticipated Cup ties at Trungle Parc against Premier Division opposition, with The Seagulls having already this season eliminated three teams from the Division above – Millbrook 3-2 at home, and Newquay 2-0 and Sticker 4-0 both away.

This Saturday (10th), Steve Massey’s Helston Athletic make the short journey for a Cornwall Senior Cup second round tie, while on the following Saturday (17th) League leaders Plymouth Argyle bring their talented young squad to the far west for a South West Peninsula League Cup third round tie.  Both matches have a 2pm kick off, with extra time and penalties to decide the outcome if necessary.

Mousehole v Ludgvan: Jason Robertson, Billy Curtis (captain), Ryan Andrew, Kevin Nicholson, Tom Hands, Lorenzo Qerimi, Steve Burt, Paulo Sousa, Hamza Kaid, Gerens James, Steven Ziboth.

Substitutes: Luke Hunter, Tyler Tonkin & Hermann Niamke (for Ryan Andrew, Lorenzo Qerimi & Steven Ziboth, all 46 mins), Paul Williams.

Mousehole scorers: Paulo Sousa (3, 47, 74, 90+1), Gerens James (57, 66, 82), Lorenzo Qerimi (14), Tom Hands (50), OG (80), Hamza Kaid (85).

Ludgvan scorer: Jamie Nicholls (20, pen)

Referee: Rowan Clarke

DOBWALLS 1-2 MOUSEHOLE

SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE, DIVISION 1 WEST

SATURDAY 27th OCTOBER 2018, AT LANTOOM PARK

Mousehole had to be at their resilient best for over 100 minutes in a fiesty encounter fragmented by frequent free kicks and several lengthy injury stoppages.

Playing with the wind gusting down the Lantoom Park slope, The Seagulls built a two-goal interval lead but were under pressure for the whole of the second half as the hosts pulled back a goal just before the hour and missed a penalty in added-on time.

With Mousehole on top in the early stages, Gerens James headed just over from Calum Elliot’s cross after excellent work by Billy Curtis and Hamza Kaid on the right. Confusion then followed in the 8th minute when the referee awarded the visitors a penalty for handball but reversed his decision after consulting the assistant referee and gave Dobwalls a free kick instead.

However, two minutes later The Seagulls opened the scoring through Paulo Sousa who coolly slipped the ball past the advancing goalkeeper when put in the clear by Calum Elliot’s defence-splitting pass.

Dobwalls were doing their best to disrupt Mousehole’s pattern of play, but Elliot was again prominent in the 44th minute to double the lead with an instant reaction header after Hamza Kaid’s fierce cross-shot from an angle had been parried – a goal that was to prove decisive in the final analysis.

Dobwalls came back into the game on 58 minutes through Sam Ingram’s low 18-yard drive into the far corner, and from then on they stepped up a gear, fiercely contesting every ball – and decision. Even so, Gerens James came close to restoring a two-goal cushion with a shot on 61 and header on 66. At the other end, keeper Jason Robertson – making a second appearance after his recent transfer from Porthleven – had to make a diving save to push out a goal-bound long-range shot with ten minutes of normal time left, as the home side stepped up their physical onslaught and verbal provocation.

Calum Elliot was denied the chance to make the game more comfortable by a fine goalkeeping save on 90+2, but the drama was still to come. Mousehole’s defenders had just managed to scramble the ball away in front of goal on 90+4, when in the next minute Ryan Andrew’s foul in the box gave Dobwalls the perfect opportunity to make it all-square from the penalty spot, but Jason Robertson got across to his left to beat out the shot. The Seagulls managed to withstand another three minutes of bombardment before pocketing the valuable three points.

Mousehole’s hard-earned three points lifts them up to sixth place, ten points behind 100%-record Liskeard Athletic from the same number of games, with the important head-to-head away at Lux Park on 24th November.

Before then, league game no. 10 is the local derby at Ludgvan this Saturday (2:15pm). The Hurlers are currently winless and in last place in the table, but, after the departure of most of the squad who achieved a creditable runners-up spot last season, they are in the process of re-grouping on the playing and coaching side – with some help from Mousehole!

Following that, The Seagulls have the chance to create more cup headlines when they face two Premier Division sides at Trungle Parc on successive Saturdays. Having already this season knocked out higher-level teams Newquay and Sticker away and Millbrook at home, they host Helston Athletic on 10th November in the Cornwall Senior Cup second round, and current league leaders Plymouth Argyle on the 17th in the SWP League Cup third round, both ties with a 2pm kick off and extra time and penalties if necessary.

Mousehole v Dobwalls: Jason Robertson, Billy Curtis, Ryan Andrew, Adel Gafaiti, Tom Hands, Lorenzo Qerimi, Luke Hunter, Paulo Sousa, Hamza Kaid, Gerens James, Calum Elliot

Substitutes: Hermann Niamke (for Paulo Sousa, 70), Kevin Nicholson, Paul Williams

Referee: Lee Roberts

The Endorsed Academy (partners to Mousehole AFC) have reached out to help support nearby Ludgvan FC.

The fellow South West Peninsula West Division club, who came a fantastic runners-up in the League last May in their first season after promotion from the Cornwall Combination League.

To help Ludgvan re-group, Endorsed Academy are providing Ludgvan with the services of a UEFA qualified coach Matt James and are committed to sharing coaching resources and playing philosophy.

The jointly-agreed strategy is for The Hurlers to build a new team of young talented players, attracting those from other Leagues capable of developing their potential at SWPL standards from the Endorsed Academy coaching methods, whilst helping the club to successfully progress.

Ludgvan FC Chairman Nigel Pryor explained: “We are really pleased to welcome both Matt and Dennis and excited of the prospect of attracting young local talent and help them to develop and progress.  The feedback from players on Matts training sessions has been absolutely excellent.  Both myself and Sue our very hard working Secretary are delighted with everything thats going on.

There’s a lot of hard work ahead at Ludgvan, all players will be made very welcome whilst we look to secure our place in senior football. Those interested in the excellent coaching please get in touch as soon as possible.

Contact Details
Sue Ludgvan Secretary
07919263278

STICKER 0-4 MOUSEHOLE

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

SECOND ROUND TIE

FRIDAY 19th OCTOBER 2018, AT BURNGULLOW PARK

Watched from the bench by player/manager Kevin Nicholson in his first game in charge, The Seagulls put in an assured display to out-class their higher-Division opponents with a four goal haul that scarcely did justice to their superiority.

Mousehole had already beaten two Premier Division sides within the last month – Newquay away 2-0 in the same competition and Millbrook 3-2 at home in the Cornwall Senior Cup – to add to their impressive Cup record in recent times. And this victory was by far the most convincing, albeit against a Sticker side struggling with life in their second season at the higher level after player departures, injuries and suspensions.

On a beautiful floodlit evening and in front of a sizeable Mousehole contingent, the visitors survived a couple of minor scares before fashioning early chances of their own, County Youth goalkeeper Ethan Elwell pushing out a Steven Ziboth 20-yard central free kick, Adel Gafaiti volleying a loose ball just wide after a corner, and Calum Elliot hitting the outside of the woodwork from the left.

The expected opening goal arrived on 19 minutes when Elliot, playing his last-but-one game before returning to his native Edinburgh, was chopped down after a smart turn in the area, and centre-back Gafaiti comfortably steered home the undisputed penalty kick.

A critical moment occurred five minutes later when Mousehole’s young keeper Dom Angove was at his shot-stopping best to beat out a close range drive when a Sticker equaliser looked inevitable, and five minutes later the home side slid a shot just wide of the far post.

But that was the last seen of the Sticker attack until the closing stages of the match as The Seagulls’ midfield mopped up everything in front of the back line and kept the momentum in their favour with composed passing and probing forward passes.

Steven Ziboth had already made one of his characteristic runs from deep only to be foiled in a one-on-one by keeper Elwell’s block, but he made no mistake on 40 minutes, released by Elliot’s inch-perfect through ball inside the full back to slot left-footed inside the far post from 15 yards for a 2-0 lead, fully deserved on the balance of play.

The anticipated Sticker comeback in the second half failed to materialise as Mousehole completely dominated the opening quarter-hour, Steven Ziboth (twice), Lorenzo Qerimi and Tom Hands all coming very close to increasing the lead. Gerens James netted two marginally offside ”goals” but was not to be denied in the 64th minute with a near-post header from Ziboth’s right-sided corner for a more realistic-looking 3-0 score line.

Sticker were finding it difficult to get out of their own half but conceded a self-inflicted fourth goal on 75 minutes when Craig Wilcox, a Seagull substitute for only five minutes, was alert to a fumble by Elwell and seized on the loose ball to place an instant left-footed shot into the far corner.

With their young substitutes on the field, the home side at last put some positive moves together to mount a handful of serious threats in the last ten minutes, but the Mousehole defence reacted with composure and determination to preserve a clean sheet.

The reward for knocking out two higher-level sides on their own turf is a home tie against another Premier Division team, Plymouth Argyle, who as current leaders of the table are the top-ranked club in the competition.  The match, scheduled for Saturday 17th November (2pm), is sure to attract added interest, with Mousehole’s philosophy tested against Argyle’s talented full-time development squad playing attractive football and occasionally supplemented by players from the club’s League One first team group.

The Argyle game will come a week after the Cornwall Senior Cup second round tie at Trungle Parc against Helston Athletic on 10th November (2pm), meaning that by mid-November Mousehole will already have faced five of the 20 Premier Division teams in this season’s Cup competitions.

Before then, The Seagulls travel to two away games in the League, firstly this Saturday (27th) at Dobwalls (3pm), followed by the local derby at Ludgvan on Saturday 3rd November (kick off 2:15pm).

Mousehole: Dom Angove, Billy Curtis (captain), Ryan Andrew, Adel Gafaiti, Tom Hands, Lorenzo Qerimi, Luke Hunter, Hamza Kaid, Gerens James, Steven Ziboth, Calum Elliot

Substitutes: Craig Wilcox (for Hamza Kaid, 69), Sam Shulberg (for Steven Ziboth, 77), Kevin Nicholson, Hermann Niamke

Scorers: Adel Gafaiti (pen) 19, Steven Ziboth 40, Gerens James 64, Craig Wilcox 75

Referee: Richard Butters

 

*****

In a major coup for Mousehole AFC, former Torquay United player and manager Kevin Nicholson has agreed to join the club as First Team player/manager and Director of Endorsed Academy.

He will replace current player/manager Calum Elliot who will continue as a player until the end of October before he needs to return with his family to his native Edinburgh. The club wanted to put on record their thanks for Calum’s hard work and his ongoing support in this transitional process.

The 37-year old Nicholson came out ahead of some tough competition to land the role.  As well as possessing an impressive CV as player, UEFA ‘A’ qualified coach and manager, he conducted two high-quality and well-received training sessions with the Mousehole squad, excelled in a series of thorough interviews, and set out his plans and long-term vision for the development of the club and Academy.

Nicholson made over 500 appearances in the Football League and top-flight of non-league, as well as winning a Wembley play-off Final, being named in the PFA ‘Team of the Year’ and representing England ‘C’.  But he is best known in the south-west for his 300+ games as a left-sided defender for Torquay United, where he is regarded as a club ‘legend’.  He was asked to take over as Torquay manager during a period of severe financial constraint at Plainmoor, and saved The Gulls from near-certain relegation at the end of his first season, an episode recorded as the ‘Great Escape’ by the Torquay faithful.

Adam Fletcher, Head of  Football Operations at Mousehole, said  “Kevin Nicholson is an outstanding appointment: he brings a wealth of experience and ambition, coupled with a winning mentality, and his great energy, leadership and management skills will be felt throughout the club and Endorsed Academy.  At the same time there’s no doubt Kevin’s decision to join us reinforces our growing reputation as a progressive club who do not intend to stand still. ”

Speaking of his new role, Nicholson explained: “I am incredibly enthusiastic about the potential at Mousehole.  I was taken aback by the club’s footballing philosophy, coaching set-up, use of technology, committee support, infrastructure, fantastic Academy and forward-thinking ambition. I’m incredibly excited to take it all to the next level.  I’m also buzzing to be back playing!”

The Seagulls have already made public their aim to make sustainable progress by adopting top-class coaching and promoting youth development.  The First team will be applying for promotion this year and the club has the planning permission and grant finance in place to develop their Trungle Parc HQ to meet the requirements of the higher League.

Mousehole currently lie in sixth place in the South West Peninsula League West Division, but Kevin Nicholson’s first sight of the team in competitive action will be in a League Cup tie on Friday evening (19th) at Premier Division Sticker.

#FlyingAllTogether

 

MOUSEHOLE 3-2 MILLBROOK

CORNWALL SENIOR CUP, FIRST ROUND

SATURDAY 6th OCTOBER 2018, AT TRUNGLE PARC

Mousehole produced another Cup shock and grabbed the weekend headlines with their second victory over a higher-league opponent in the space of a fortnight.  This time it was a narrow but deserved win over visitors Millbrook in an entertaining and at times dramatic encounter.

The Seagulls were looking to make a successful start to the Senior Cup competition in which they created history by reaching last season’s Final less than five months ago.

Millbrook meanwhile arrived in a healthy 7th place in the Premier Division after being promoted as Division One West champions in May.

Playing with the wind at their backs, Millbrook forced the first of several superb saves during the afternoon by Dom Angove in the Mousehole goal, with Adel Gafaiti putting in a vital block from the rebound after 12 minutes.

But it was the hosts who went into the lead on 16 minutes when Steven Ziboth put in an electrifying run down the left from inside his own half, and his knee-high cross was expertly side-footed in by the perfectly positioned Gerens James.

Just before the half hour, both sides were reduced to ten men. The visitors’ Tom Payne launched a dangerous two-footed tackle on playmaker Lorenzo Gerimi which sparked a reaction from players of both sides, after which Payne was shown the expected red card. But Mousehole’s returning former captain Steve Burt was also controversially dismissed by Referee Marc Rose for an alleged incident during the melee.

Millbrook then came very close to an equaliser with three chances in as many minutes.  After making a smart diving save to push a low shot round his near post, Dom Angove tipped over the awkward wind-assisted in-swinging corner, and was then grateful to Adel Gafaiti for another brave block in front of goal in the 37th.

However, The Seagulls took advantage of their own resolute defending as Gerens James doubled the lead and his own tally a minute later, the front man taking a sideways pass just inside the area to whip a curling shot past ‘keeper Chris Wearing.

The second half ebbed and flowed throughout in the high wind with chances at both ends, as two attack-minded teams enjoyed the extra space created by the earlier dismissals.

Millbrook reduced the arrears in the 54th minute, Graham O’Neill nudging home in a one-on-one after Mousehole had lost possession just outside their own box.  The momentum was now with the visitors, but they were vulnerable to quick breaks from Steven Ziboth, whose swift running always looked likely to create chances.

With a Millbrook equaliser still on the cards as they pressed forward, Ziboth put in another dash down the left on 75 minutes, but his driven shot was beaten out by Wearing, only for William Vouama to pick up the loose ball and fire into the net for a 3-1 scoreline.

Three minutes later it was 3-2 as Millbrook forced themselves back into contention with Ryan Knight working himself some space inside the box from a right wing cross to hook a left-footed shot inside the far post.

And in a tense finale, Mousehole had Dom Angove to thank for a breathtaking save in the 90th minute to tip over a 20-yard free kick destined for the top corner, with the drama continuing into added-on time as a well-executed volley from the edge of the box crashed against the crossbar.

Mousehole’s win reinforces their reputation as ‘Cup Specialists’, having last season disposed of Premier Division teams St Austell, Camelford, Launceston and Newquay.  They then went away to Newquay again two weeks ago away in the first round of the League Cup and beat them once again, earning a second round tie at yet another Premier Division club Sticker on Saturday week (20th).

Next Saturday (13th) sees The Seagulls return to League action against lowly Bude Town at Trungle Parc (3pm).

Mousehole v Millbrook: Dom Angove, Billy Curtis (captain), Ryan Andrew, Adel Gafaiti, Kelian Mpaka, Steve Burt, Paula Sousa, Lorenzo Gerimi, William Vouama, Gerens James, Steven Ziboth.

Substitutes: Tom Hands (for Kelian Mpaka, 62), Jamie Devine (for Lorenzo Gerimi, 82), Sam Shulberg, Paul Williams, Jake Andrew

Scorers: GERENS JAMES 16 (1-0), GERENS JAMES 38 (2-0), Half Time 2-0, Graham O’Neill 54 (2-1), WILLIAM VOUAMA 75 (3-1), Ryan Knight 78 (3-2).

Referee: Marc Rose.     Attendance: 67.