SEAGULLS GET NEW SEASON OFF TO A FLYING START WITH BIG AWAY WIN

Torpoint Athletic 1-5 Mousehole

Western League Premier Division

Saturday 30th July 2022

At The Mill

Summary

Mousehole came from behind after an indifferent opening, and after a couple of game-changing moments dominated the remainder of this east versus west Cornwall ‘derby’, much to the delight of their large away following

Pre-match points

This is an eagerly anticipated first match of the new season.  The hosts won promotion to Step 5 as South West Peninsula League Champions having notched up 100 points and 150 goals, while conceding just 32, as well as winning the SWP League Cup.  The visitors finished in third place in their debut campaign in the Western League, having been in contention for a second successive promotion until the final days of the season.

Mousehole are without five of their first team squad – Jack Calver, Mark Goldsworthy and Callam Mconie through injury, while Andy Watkins and Josh Magin are unavailable.

Today’s 16-man squad shows recent signing Reece Thomson as the only addition to last season’s group

In a newly introduced FA rule, the number of ‘used substitutes’ has been increased from three to five

There’s a good crowd inside the ground, probably approaching half of whom are Seagulls supporters.  The weather is fine and the pitch surface is bone-hard with very little green grass after the recent dry weather.

The match as it happened

12 minutes:  GOAL FOR TORPOINT ATHLETIC.  The hosts have been on the front foot so far, but they get a lucky break as the ball bounces up sharply against Max Hill’s outstretched arm, Referee Hunnisett awards a penalty and RYAN RICHARDS converts to keeper Ollie Chenoweth’s left.

20 minutes:  Loud appeals for a penalty at the other end are unheeded as Louis Price is wrestled inside the box.

24 minutes:  There’s been a lot of misplaced passing on the hard surface, but Tallan Mitchell makes a promising run followed by a goalbound shot which a defender heads out for a corner

30 minutes:  Double drama!   Torpoint take a quick throw near the corner flag while Mousehole are disputing the decision, Ryan Richards turns on the ball and is fouled, and the referee awards another penalty.  This time Ryan Richards powers his spot kick the other way and Ollie Chenoweth makes a superb save, beating the ball out to his right for a corner. 

35 minutes:  After that reprieve, Mousehole are starting to put their game together.  Hayden Turner volleys hastily over from 18 yards after keeper Jason Peters punches out a cross under pressure

37 minutes:  GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE.  Hayden Turner swerves a corner kick into a crowded six-yard box, the ball drops down and LOUIS PRICE turns 180 degrees to fire  home.  After Ollie Chenoweth’s penalty save seven minutes ago, that’s another significant moment for Mousehole – an equaliser while not playing at their best.

39 minutes:  Tallan Mitchell makes another run, with his 20-yard shot kept out by the sprawling keeper

42 minutes:  Mousehole are now getting better control of the play.  Paulo Sousa aims for the top corner from a 25-yard free kick but the ball deflects off the top of the defensive wall.

At half-time it’s 1-1.  Torpoint might have been two goals up before Mousehole got going, but the visitors have come back strongly.  An interesting second half in prospect, with Mousehole surely needing to make a better start.

 The second half

48 minutes:  GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE.  Half-way inside his own half, Paulo Sousa spots HAYDEN TURNER ready to move in the centre circle, his carefully-placed long forward pass enabling the striker to outpace his marker and score with a composed low shot past the keeper.  Torpoint 1-2 Mousehole.

52 minutes:  GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE.  TALLAN MITCHELL spins on the edge of the Torpoint 18-yard line and swerves an immaculate right-foot shot into the top left-hand corner with keeper Peters motionless.  Mousehole have come from behind to score three away goals in 14 minutes of playing time – somewhat reminiscent of the performance at Buckland Athletic last season.

56 minutes:  Louis Price gets on to Hayden Turner’s pass, turns and drives just too high from 12 yards.

60 minutes:  A rare threat from Torpoint as defender Elliot Crawford’s fierce shot from 25 yards is tipped over by Ollie Chenoweth

66 minutes:  GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE.  Mark Richards’ downward header from a right-sided corner is partially blocked by the keeper and defenders on the line and LOUIS PRICE is in the thick of the action as he prods the loose ball into the net for The Seagulls’ fourth.

71 minutes:  Mousehole substitute – Steve Burt is replaced by Jared Sims

73 minutes:  Mousehole continue to have the upper hand, Tallan Mitchell putting Hayden Turner through on goal and round the keeper for an angled shot into the side netting

76 minutes:  Torpoint’s Darren Hicks puts in a dangerous low drive which Ollie Chenoweth saves smartly at the foot of the near post

77 minutes:  Torpoint come close again as a header from the corner is cleared off the line by the well-positioned Max Hill

79 minutes:  Mousehole substitutes – Louis Price is replaced by Jack Symons, and Reece Thomson by Charlie Willis

80 minutes:  GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE.  Max Hill is at the other end now, heading Hayden Turner’s corner goalwards – the keeper parries the ball but the alert TALLAN MITCHELL drives the ball left-footed into the roof of the net from near the corner of the six-yard box

85 minutes:  Hicks again makes ground on the left for Torpoint but his shot from an angle goes into the side-netting

87 minutes:  Mousehole substitutes – Paulo Sousa is replaced by Kyle Fraser, and Mark Richards by Jamie Devine, with Andy Elcock taking over the captain’s armband.  Another bit of history – for the first time in a competitive match, Mousehole have five substitutes on the pitch, half their outfield players

At full time, the scoreline reads Torpoint Athletic 1-5 Mousehole.  That penalty save an hour ago now a distant memory.  For Mousehole, a great start to the season, but a slow start to this match!

Mousehole (with used substitutes)

Ollie Chenoweth (GK), Josh Otto, Mark Richards (captain) (Jamie Devine), Max Hill, Paulo Sousa (Kyle Fraser), Andy Elcock, Tallan Mitchell, Steve Burt (Jared Sims), Reece Thomson (Charlie Willis), Louis Price (Jack Symons), Hayden Turner

Match Officials

Neil Hunnisett (Referee), with Robert Aitken & Alan Turner (Assistants)

Attendance: 164

Next for Mousehole

This Tuesday, 2nd August, 7.45pm  

HOME v Saltash United, WLP

Saturday 6th August, 3pm:

Away at Barnstaple Town, FA Cup Extra-Preliminary  Round

Tuesday 9th August, HOME, 7.45pm, against:

Either Falmouth Town, WLP

Or Barnstaple Town if FA Cup replay needed

 

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