PLYMSTOCK UNITED 1-1 MOUSEHOLE
SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE, DIVISION 1 WEST
SATURDAY 29th DECEMBER 2018
AT DEAN CROSS
Mousehole reached the halfway point of their League campaign with an away point against a Plymstock side who stood one point ahead from three games more, and proved to be the usual difficult opponents on their own pitch.
The energetic hosts created the better of the first half chances, with Seagulls’ keeper Jason Robertson blocking a fierce drive which ricocheted on to the crossbar and over in the 37th minute.
The second half was a different story, as Mousehole retained more of the ball and made serious inroads into Plymstock’s previously solid defence.
Steven Ziboth put the visitors ahead with a low shot into the far corner from 12 yards after Steve Burt had broken through from midfield to set up Hermann Niamke for a pass across the area.
But the lead lasted barely two minutes as a right wing cross was met with a simple downward header by Connor Rush from a central position eight yards out. Plymstock briefly stepped up the pressure and came close twice after robbing Mousehole in the final third.
But the last 25 minutes belonged almost entirely to The Seagulls as they pegged the home side back in their own half. Billy Curtis shot over after Steven Ziboth’s drive had been blocked in a crowded goalmouth on 70 minutes. Two minutes later Gerens James’ header from Paulo Sousa’s cross just cleared the crossbar.
In an eventful last ten minutes, a plausible penalty appeal for a foul on Hermann Niamke was turned down, two corners in quick succession resulted in a shot blocked and a header marginally wide, while in a rare foray over the halfway line a Plymstock free kick from 30 yards just missed the target.
Back in the home side’s penalty area, some desperate defending kept out three goalbound shots in a row, including one hacked off the line when it looked like an added-time winner.
In the end, Plymstock were glad to hear the final whistle, while Mousehole would have wished for another five minutes.
The Seagulls end the year in sixth place, with 7 wins, 4 draws and 3 defeats, having played 9 of those fixtures away, and with several games in hand on four of the five teams above them.
The second half of Mousehole’s season is full of positive expectation as they settle into a controlled passing style, aim to make the most of their nine home games including against all of the current top four, and look forward to the prospect of promotion to the new Step 6 League in the summer.
The Seagulls are without a game next Saturday as their originally scheduled opponents Wadebridge Town are in Senior Cup action, so the next fixture is at home against Bere Alston United at Trungle Parc on Saturday 12th January, kick off 2:15pm.
Mousehole: Jason Robertson, Tyler Tonkin, Billy Curtis (captain), Mark Richards, Tom Hands, Steve Burt, Lez Cela, Paulo Sousa, Hermann Niamke, Gerens James, Steven Ziboth.
Substitutes: Luke Hunter (for Mark Richards, 46), Kevin Nicholson (for Tyler Tonkin, 68), Kingsley Burrows, Sam Shulberg, Ryan Andrew.
Scorers: Mousehole – Steven Ziboth, 50. Plymstock – Connor Rush, 52.
Referee: Stuart Ash.
