NEWQUAY 0-2 MOUSEHOLE

SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE CUP, sponsored by Walter C Parson Funeral Directors

FIRST ROUND TIE, AT MOUNT WISE, SATURDAY 22^ND SEPTEMBER 2018

An early and a late goal enabled The Seagulls to pull off the result and performance of the first round of the League Cup with a richly deserved win at Premier Division Newquay to earn a second round tie at another higher-league side Sticker on 20^th October.

Mousehole have become something of a cup specialist side in recent times, and indeed Saturday’s win was the third in a row against The Peppermints in as many seasons.  But they had to show all their many qualities, playing for nearly an hour with ten men after Luke Hunter’s dismissal in an unfortunate incident late the first half.

Newquay had been forced into several changes after two gruelling fixtures in a week, firstly their own headline-grabbing 1-0 win at Western League Premier side Buckland Athletic in the FA Vase, followed by a 4-1 home league defeat at the hands of title favourites Tavistock.  Mousehole also shuffled the pack, with player-manager Calum Elliot directing from the sidelines during the first of a three-match suspension, youngsters Dom Angove in goal and Tom Hands in defence, and striker Jake Andrew deployed in midfield.

On a wet and dark afternoon, but starting with the wind in their favour, Mousehole were immediately on the offensive and took the lead after only two minutes.  William Vouama created and finished the chance all by himself with a piercing 40-yard run past several opponents, a calm side-step round ‘keeper Adam Dower and a rolled shot past the wrong-footed covering defender on the line.

The visitors were soon at it again with swift attacks down the flanks and Dower had to make diving saves to keep out shots by Steven Ziboth and Vouama in the 4^th and 6^th minutes.  Newquay made their first threat on 18 when the skilful youngster Ollie Walker made a promising chance for himself but was shut out by a determined defence.  Back came Mousehole and the Vouama-Ziboth combination resulted in Dower again foiling the latter in a one-on-one on 20 minutes, and shortly afterwards Dom Angove denied Walker with a smart save, before Ziboth and Jake Andrew came close in quick succession to doubling the lead.  The end-to-end action continued with Ryan Andrew making a crucial interception when dangerman Walker again looked likely to equalise, followed by Angove’s superb diving save to keep out Perez’s fierce drive from the edge of the box and preserve Mousehole’s lead.

He game was brought to a halt in the 38^th minute after Mousehole’s Luke Hunter felled Harry Tilston in the centre of the pitch with an over-the-ball tackle on the slippery surface.  Both teams left the pitch while the injured player was eventually carried off a stretcher and taken to hospital by ambulance (the injury was later confirmed as not a broken leg as had at first been feared).  Before the game resumed referee Paul Kempen issued the red card for Hunter, leaving Mousehole to play with ten men for the remainder of the match.

The Seagulls continued to work hard to deny Newquay the opportunity to make the extra man count.  But this was certainly no backs-to-the-wall performance, as Mousehole remained positive and looked the more likely to score, with Gerens James putting a close-range header wide from a great Billy Curtis centre on 48 and just failing to connect with Steven Ziboth’s low cross along the six-yard line on 56.  The craft and speed of Paulo Sousa, Ziboth and Vouama kept the worried Peppermints’ back line fully occupied, with Dower yet again rescuing his side in a one-on-one in the 59^th minute.

The home side finally got a sight of goal on the hour with a header just wide, but it was not until late on that they looked likely to score and take the game into extra time.  In quick succession in the last five minutes Angove came out smartly to defuse a dangerous situation, a right-wing cross-cum-shot whistled just past the far post, and some resolute defending cleared away a goalmouth scramble.

With the speedy Craig Wilcox on as substitute up front, Mousehole’s tactics worked perfectly with a classic second goal on 90 minutes as Newquay pressed upfield.  The battling Jake Andrew won an important header in midfield, setting up Steven Ziboth who in turn slid the ball inside for Wilcox to take it in his stride 30 yards out and race through the gap to fire home past the advancing ‘keeper.  There was still time for Dom Angove to demonstrate his shot-stopping prowess with a double save in the second minute of added time, to earn his side a clean sheet and complete a thoroughly deserved whole-team victory.

Mousehole return to home league action this Saturday (29^th October, kick off 3pm) with the visit to Trungle Parc of St Blazey, who have recently changed manager after a poor start to the season.  The Seagulls will be looking to improve on their current sixth place in the table, having won three, drawn two and lost one so far.

The following Saturday (6^th October) it’s cup weekend again, this time in the Cornwall Senior Cup, in which Mousehole made a historic run to the final in May.  Last season’s promoted champions Millbrook are the visitors, having made a reasonable start to life in the Premier Division to occupy a mid-table position.

Mousehole v Newquay:  Dom Angove, Billy Curtis (captain), Ryan Andrew, Adel Gafaiti, Tom Hands, Luke Hunter, Paulo Sousa, Jake Andrew, William Vouama, Gerens James, Steven Ziboth.  Substitutes:  Craig Wilcox (for Gerens James, 80), Sam Shulberg (for Steven Ziboth, 90+1).

Mousehole scorers:  William Vouama 2, Craig Wilcox 90.

Referee:  Paul Kempen.