ST BLAZEY 2-5 MOUSEHOLE
SOUTH WEST PENINSUAL LEAGUE, DIVISION 1 WEST
MONDAY 16TH APRIL, AT BLAISE PARK
An eventful first match in charge for newly-appointed player-manager Calum Elliot saw Mousehole return to winning ways in the first encounter with St Blazey after their relegation from the Premier Division last season.
With both teams neck-and-neck in the top-six on 43 points. the hosts took the lead with a 45-yard goal, had a man sent off and then doubled their lead, before The Seagulls fought back from 2-0 down, putting in a dominant second-half display which included four headed goals and another hat-trick by top scorer Jake Andrew.
On a very bumpy pitch – which is also the venue for Mousehole’s first-ever appearance in the Cornwall Senior Cup Final on Sunday 13th May against Premier Division Saltash United – St Blazey took an early lead in improbable fashion when Lewis Coombes hoofed a wind-assisted lob from fully 45 yards after Mousehole had lost possession in the centre circle.
The fierce tackling showed how important a win was for both sides in the title race, but left-back Elliot Rendle did his side no favours as he earned an obvious straight-red card with a reckless high tackle on Luke Johnson half-way through the half, leaving St Blazey to play 70 minutes with ten men.
The pendulum swung the other way a couple of minutes later, when Liam Andrew was carried off with a knee injury after another crunching clash, to be substituted by Steven Ziboth. And before Mousehole had time to re-organise, player-manager Stuart Morgan put his side 2-0 up on 31 minutes with a straight run through the defence and a cool chip as Steve Parker-Billinge raced out.
William Vouama gave Mousehole some hope on 38 minutes when he picked up a defensive clearance from Paulo Sousa’s corner and drove in a knee-high shot from a central position 30 yards out which swerved late to deceive goalkeeper Toby Chapman.
With their one-man advantage, The Seagulls took control of the second half, with fluent possession across the width of the pitch gradually wearing down their opponents. It was 2-2 in the 51st minute as Ryan Holland’s long diagonal ball beyond the far post was headed back across goal by Steven Ziboth for Jake Andrew to nod home.
And Andrew put Mousehole into the lead for the first time with another header from the edge of the six yard box, Ziboth again the provider with an accurate cross from the left after 71 minutes.
Steven Ziboth made it 4-2 with a goal of his own in the 86th minute, this time getting a firm downward header from an angle on Paulo Sousa’s right-wing corner, with the ball squeezing in at the near post off Chapman’s legs.
And a remarkable turnaround was completed one minute from time as Jake Andrew, on his knees in front of goal, headed in a loose ball for his third close-range hat-trick in recent games.
The three points gives Mousehole fresh hope of competing positively in the promotion-seeking pack after last Saturday’s disappointing result and below-par performance at local rivals Ludgvan. The Seagulls have the opportunity to erase that memory when the return League fixture with Ludgvan takes place at Trungle Parc tomorrow (Wednesday 18th April), kick off 6.30pm.
With Ludgvan losing 2-1 at St Dennis yesterday evening, Liskeard drawing at home and Millbrook v Elburton also finishing all-square, Mousehole’s win keeps them in contention near the top with six games to go and five of those at home, the last one of which is the return fixture with St Blazey. There still remain a total of ten games in which teams at the top will face each other and therefore drop points, and although some teams have games in hand they also have greater fixture congestion.
Mousehole at St Blazey: Steve Parker-Billinge, Billy Curtis (captain), Liam Andrew, Calum Elliot, Chris Prout, Jamie Thomson, Paulo Sousa, William Vouama, Ryan Holland, Luke Johnson, Jake Andrew.
Substitutes: Steven Ziboth (for Liam Andrew, 24), Josh Storey, Paul Williams.
Scorers:
St Blazey – Lewis Coombes, 6 (1-0); Stuart Morgan, 31 (2-0).
Mousehole – William Vouama, 38 (2-1); Jake Andrew, 51 (2-2), 71 (2-3), 89 (2-5), Steven Ziboth (86, 2-4)
Referee: Tony Rogers. Attendance: 70.
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