MOUSEHOLE BATTLE BACK WITH LATE WINNER IN EXCITING ‘LOCAL DERBY'

Mousehole 3-2 Falmouth Town

Toolstation Western League Premier Division

Saturday 3rd September 2022

Ất Trungle Parc

SUMMARY

With plenty of tension and thrills for both sets of supporters in an end-to-end encounter, Mousehole’s come-back victory from a half-time deficit maintained their recent upturn in form and deprived the Town of their first away point of the season

PREVIEW

With both Mousehole and Falmouth knocked out of the Emirates FA Cup two weeks ago, today’s now-vacant First Qualifying Round date has been filled by bringing forward the home League fixture that was scheduled for a midweek slot later in the month.

On a curious point in recent history, Mousehole and Falmouth Town – separated by less than 30 miles – have faced each other just three times in League competition.

The last occasion was a 0-0 draw at Bickland Park in the opening fixture of the 2019/20 season in the SWPL – Jake Ash’s first game in charge as Mousehole’s manager, against the club where he started his playing career.

They had previously met home and away in the Cornwall Combination League in 1983/84 with Falmouth winning by an 8-0 aggregate.

Falmouth’s last visit to Trungle Parc was in their 8-0 Throgmorton Cup victory over ten years ago.

This season, Mousehole have two League wins (both by 5-1, the last at Home against Street on Bank Holiday Monday), two draws and one defeat.

Falmouth have played one game more, and have recorded two home wins, one home draw and three away defeats – so will be looking to get their first away result this afternoon.

The return League fixture is at Bickland Park is in just over three weeks’ time, on Wednesday 28th September, kick off 7.45pm

It’s a wet, windy and cool day here at Trungle Parc, with the weather having significantly reduced the anticipated size of the crowd, though there’s a fair contingent of Falmouth fans making their presence seen and heard.

THE KEY POINTS OF THE MATCH

Mousehole are kicking towards the Cricket Club End. Falmouth are playing in all-white. The rain has stopped.

9 minutes: First chance to Falmouth as Moussa Diallo steps on the ball on the half-way line, leaving Luke Brabyn to make a 40-yard break into space on the right and drive a right-foot shot from an angle which is pushed out for a corner by Ollie Chenoweth at his near post

11 minutes: At the other end, Jack Symons sets up Moussa Diallo for a run and low shot from 18 yards, well kept out by keeper Zac Telling, with Hayden Turner firing the loose ball first time but wide of the far post

18 minutes: GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE. Reece Thomson is pushed over after a penetrating run towards goal, and MOUSSA DIALLO fires the free-kick from 25 yards high into the net to Telling’s left. A spectacular goal to match the youngster’s debut score on Monday against Street – the same end of the ground, the same dead-ball situation, a similar distance and position, an identical outcome.

23 minutes: A half-chance for Falmouth as Luke Barner and Mark Richards contest a through-ball, with Ollie Chenoweth saving the low 10-yard shot at the foot of the post

32 minutes: Moussa Diallo receives Reece Thomson’s pass in space on the left, brings the ball inside on to his right foot and shoots – keeper Telling does well to parry it out for a corner

34 minutes: Hayden Turner sprints to the byeline on the right and his cross is deflected away in front of goal

37 minutes: There have been lots of slippages on the wet surface. Hayden Turner gives Moussa Diallo a shooting chance from 18 yards – it’s too high

42 minutes: GOAL FOR FALMOUTH TOWN. Luke Barner puts in a long-range rising drive which Ollie Chenoweth manages to get to, but the ball drops invitingly to the well-positioned TIM NIXON who controls calmly and shoots low into the net from 10 yards. The former Seagull has levelled the scores with an opportunist strike, against the balance of play.

44 minutes: GOAL FOR FALMOUTH TOWN. A free kick in a central position 25 yards out is swerved into the net via the underside of the crossbar by TIM NIXON. Two goals in two minutes!

Half time (45+3 minutes): It’s 2-1 to the visitors who have made the most of their chances despite looking second best in the opening period, and it’s an ex-Mousehole League and Cup double winner who’s done the damage!

46 minutes: Mousehole’s half-time substitutes – Reece Thomson is replaced by Andy Watkins, and Jack Symons by Andy Elcock

48 minutes: Moussa Diallo’s long cross from the right is just too far ahead of Hayden Turner who can’t nudge it in at the far post

58 minutes: GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE. After some patient build-up play outside the visitors’ penalty area, MOUSSA DIALLO skates past a couple of defenders with superb balance and prods the ball past the advancing keeper from 8 yards for his second goal of the game and his third in two matches since arriving at Trungle Parc. It’s 2-2 and more than half an hour to come!

61 minutes: Jack Calver puts a dangerous ball into Falmouth’s six-yard box where Tom Annear makes a timely clearance to snuff out the chance

62 minutes: Hayden Turner’s cross into a crowded area is met with a bit of head-tennis and cleared off the line, as Mousehole step up the pressure

64 minutes: Tallan Mitchell’s corner kick is headed goalwards by Mark Richards and keeper Telling gets across well to palm it away at the far post

65 minutes: Falmouth are given the opportunity to punish casual play in Mousehole’s back line, but Mark Richards is alert to the danger and clears up

65 minutes: Mousehole substitute – Tallan Mitchell is replaced by Callam Mconie

68 minutes: Half-way through the second period, Falmouth are coming back into the game. Both sides’ supporters are drumming up the volume. Last-man Max Hill makes a well-timed tackle to halt substitute Alex Wharton’s progress on the 18-yard line

70 minutes: Falmouth are trying to thread passes through to runners in the Mousehole penalty area – they’re well thought-out but not quite accurate enough

71 minutes: Close for Falmouth! Luke Brabyn goes past three defenders in the home area on the right and Ollie Chenoweth is forced into a vital block at the near post

73 minutes: Mousehole substitute – the badly-injured Josh Otto is replaced by Louis Price, who goes to left-back with Jack Calver moving over to the right

77 minutes: The new substitute gives the ball away in the danger area, but Falmouth fail to take advantage with a hurried shot over the bar

79 minutes: Luke Barner has a huge chance to restore Falmouth’s lead as he fastens on to a loose ball and fires wide of the post from an unchallenged position 10 yards out

80 minutes: Ten minutes to go – Falmouth are making life uncomfortable for Mousehole. This game could go either way.

84 minutes; Mousehole substitute – Steve Burt is replaced by Jared Sims

85 minutes: Mousehole break forward at speed, Andy Watkins is held back when surging through on the edge of the box, but Referee Lee Roberts waves play on

87 minutes: Falmouth continue to threaten and are inches away from a winner. Tim Nixon floats a 30-yard free kick in to a crowd at the far post where the ball somehow ricochets off Ollie Chenoweth and the woodwork

90 minutes: GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE. It’s been end-to-end excitement for a while, with neither side prepared to settle for the draw. A left-sided corner comes across, it’s glanced beyond the far post, Mark Richards instantly scoops the ball back inside and the quick-thinking ANDY WATKINS instantly turns it over the line from six yards. The hosts regain the lead right at the end – although there’s likely still to be quite a few minutes of added time.

Full time (90+7 minutes): The last few minutes have produced no new drama and the final score is Mousehole 3-2 Falmouth Town.

That’s the end of 100 minutes of a tightly-fought contest, swinging one way then the other, with not much to separate the two sides who deserve credit for making it a great game of football.

Falmouth will take many positives in their search for away points, while Mousehole move up the table in the direction they want – and next Saturday they have the chance to exact revenge for their FA Cup exit when Torpoint Athletic visit Trungle Parc.

MOUSEHOLE (with used substitutes):

Ollie Chenoweth (GK), Josh Otto (Louis Price), Mark Richards, Max Hill, Jack Calver (C), Steve Burt (Jared Sims),Tallan Mitchell (Callam Mconie), Jack Symons (Andy Elcock), Hayden Turner, Reece Thomson (Andy Watkins), Moussa Diallo

MATCH OFFICIALS

Lee Roberts (Referee) with Neil Rudkin & Rowan Clarke (Assistant Referees)

ATTENDANCE; 227

SEPTEMBER FIXTURES FOR MOUSEHOLE

Next Saturday, 10th, 3pm

HOME v Torpoint Athletic, WLP

Tuesday 13th, 7.45pm

Away v Saltash United, WLP

Saturday 17th, 3pm

HOME v Sherborne Town, WLP

Saturday 24th, 3pm

Away v Shepton Mallet, FA Vase 2QR