SEAGULLS ON TOP BUT HAVE TO SETTLE FOR DRAW

Cadbury Heath 1-1 Mousehole

Western League Premier Division

Saturday 5^th November 2022

At Springfield

Mousehole scorer: Reece Thomson (62’)

SUMMARY

Despite having a huge share of possession and numerous goal chances, Mousehole had to be content with just a single point against their hard-working and resilient hosts – though on the positive side they increased their unbeaten run to 13 games and stand in third place with all the top three having lost just one League game this season

MATCH PREVIEW

Mousehole today make the long-distance journey to the eastern suburbs of Bristol to face a tricky encounter with South Gloucestershire side Cadbury Heath who, despite their relatively lowly position in the League table, have lost only once in the last six matches and by all accounts are looking strong at Home.

Mousehole are currently on an unbeaten run of 12 games in all competitions, including four consecutive wins, and they are undefeated in away League games so far this season.

The Heath’s season has been bolstered by the arrival of Bristol Rovers loan signing Josiah McKayle, the 17-year old central striker having scored six goals in his first nine appearances.

After a period of very wet weather, the pitch is on the soggy side, but perfectly playable.

KEY POINTS OF THE MATCH

1’: Adel Gafaiti makes an important interception inside the Mousehole penalty area as the hosts make a quick start

2’: The home side’s Matt Isaacs shoots wide of the upright from 20 yards

3’: Callam Mconie drives wide from just outside The Heath’s box in Mousehole’s first attack

5’: Tallan Mitchell makes a penetrating run and stings home keeper Jordan Schofield’s hands with his shot

8’: Cadbury Heath’s captain and centre-back Ewan McMillan is up for a free kick and his downward header goes just past the near post

14’: Home keeper Schofield makes a good save to keep out Callam Mconie’s angled drive aimed at the far top corner

16’: Tallan Mitchell fires narrowly over from 25 yards as Mousehole look to get a foothold in the match

19’: Ewan McMillan hits a low 25-yard shot towards the corner of Lewis Moyle’s net, but the young keeper does well to get down to push it out for a corner

Half-way through the first half: Cadbury Heath looking strong in the tackle, while quick and direct to break forward. Mousehole putting passes together, keeping possession and finding spaces

25’: Andy Elcock drives at the home goal from fully 35 yards and it’s not far over the bar

26’: Mousehole earn three corners in a row as Mark Goldsworthy, Tallan Mitchell and Jack Calver all have a go. Finally, Schofield drops the ball in front of his line, but it’s promptly booted away

30’: Callam Mconie has a great chance with the ball on his left foot inside the area, but the shot is blocked by equally great defending

32’: GOAL FOR CADBURY HEATH. Harry Goldspink crosses from the left and JOSIAH McKAYLE gets to the ball first to find the net with a perfectly placed header from 10 yards

35’: Mousehole have a near miss, as Callam Mconie’s free kick from the right zips through to Josh Baxter but he can’t keep the ball down and it clears the crossbar from close range

42’: Tallan Mitchell shoots over from 20 yards, and moments later Jack Calver drives wide on his left foot from a similar distance

45 minutes: Another close shave for The Heath, who are indebted again to keeper Schofield as he keeps out Callam Mconie’s low cross shot with his outstretched boot

45+3’: The half-time whistle goes with Cadbury Heath holding a 1-0 lead, thanks to a good goal and a defiant defensive performance

The second half

47’: Mousehole are soon on the attack, Tallan Mitchell’s low shot from the edge of the area forcing Schofield into a full-length save

49’: Callam Mconie’s short corner gives Jack Calver a sight of goal but his left-footed drive from 20 yards is too high

62’: GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE. Tallan Mitchell makes a spectacular direct run at the right side of the home defence and REECE THOMSON converts the short inside pass with a firm low right-foot shot from 10 yards into the far corner for a fully deserved equaliser.

66’: Reece Thomson is very close to giving The Seagulls the lead with a lob from near the corner of the penalty area – it drops just wide of the far post

71’: Mousehole substitute – One Josh for another, as Baxter is replaced by Otto, returning after a long injury lay-off

77’: Jack Calver drives a shot at goal but it’s straight at Schofield, who makes a safe save

78 minutes: In a rare forward venture by The Heath, Josiah McKayle prods a loose ball just over the bar from inside the area

79’: Tallan Mitchell darts through a gap to give Mark Goldsworthy a one-on-one chance – Schofield half-blocks the shot and Will Boyer completes the clearance as the ball spins towards the vacant goal

80 minutes: Mousehole substitute – Reece Thomson is replaced by Louis Price as Mousehole continue to search for a winning goal

85 minutes: The visitors have won a succession of corners – from this one, Adel Gafaiti heads goal-wards and it’s scraped off the line by a defender

87 minutes: A threaded pass through a crowded Heath area finds Callam Mconie with a clear chance to the right of goal – but the shot is on his weaker right foot and goes wide of the near post

88’: The one-way traffic continues and Callam Mconie’s 15-yard drive, this time with his left foot, brings out a sharp diving save from the hosts’ man-of-the-match keeper Schofield

89’: An inswinging Mconie free kick is just too high for the leaping Louis Price at the far post – and misses the upright by inches.

90+10’: After a lot of added time, Mousehole have done everything but score. At full-time it’s 1-1, with Cadbury Heath holding out against a second half onslaught – and it’s quite telling that they celebrate as if they’ve won the match!

Mousehole now move on to two Cup games in the space of five days, with the Senior Cup tie at Saltash United on Tuesday, followed by the big – and intriguing – FA Vase Second Round tie at home against the unfamiliar but massively talented Hartpury University on Saturday, with a history-making place in the Third Round at stake.

MOUSEHOLE (with used substitutes)

Lewis Moyle (GK), Josh Baxter (Josh Otto 71’) , Adel Gafaiti, Max Hill, Paulo Sousa, Tallan Mitchell, Reece Thomson (Louis Price 80’), Andy Elcock, Jack Calver (C), Callam Mconie, Mark Goldsworthy

Other substitutes: Steve Burt, Kyle Fraser, Jack Symons

MATCH OFFICIALS

Dan Bugg (Referee) with Bobby Tutton and Theo Gordon (Assistants)

ATTENDANCE: 79

NOVEMBER FIXTURES FOR MOUSEHOLE

Tuesday 8^th, 7.45pm

Away v Saltash United

Cornwall Senior Cup 2^nd Round

Saturday 12^th, 3pm

HOME v HARTPURY UNIVERSITY

FA Vase 2^nd Round

Tuesday 15^th, 7.45pm