Seagulls Fall at the Final Hurdle
For forty two matches Mousehole were in the play offs spots for almost the whole season but sadly they missed out on the final day. Last season they nipped into the top five at the same moment that this year they dropped out. This is football, tiny margins make big differences and context is everything. On any other day of the season a two two draw away at Melksham would be seen as a good result but when you needed to win two nil it feels like a defeat.
The game itself was a close affair in which Mousehole went behind after thirteen minutes as a result of a season long failure to defend throw ins. Two players were left unmarked on the Melksham left, one of them was in acres of space and had time to swing in a dangerous cross. It wasn’t cleared and fell to another unmarked player to prod home.
Mousehole had chances in that first half but their finishing was maybe a little rushed due to the pressure of the day. As half time approached news reached the ground that Exmouth were four nil up. This meant the Seagulls need three goals without conceding in the second half to stay in the play off.
They approached the task with a good element of calmness and got one back when Hayden Turner set up Josh Bernard for his first Mousehole goal. Game on!
The clock ticked down and calm was replaced with anxiety. PLayers were thrown forward searching for the two goals needed but this left gaps at the back and Melksham are a good enough team to take advantage. A break down their left with a long mazy run avoiding any tackles ended with the ball squirming across the box to a home player in splendid isolation. If the finish was simple, a tap in, the celebration was extravangant, a flick-flack back flip worthy of a Champions League win. The home fans celebrated a win against the best footballing team in the league but hold on! The ref indicated five minutes to be added.
Was there time?
Mousehole came again, wave after wave of attack. These men in green and white never give up and they got their reward when the ball dropped to Jack Symons on the edge of the box. He controlled it and whalloped it in to the roof of the net. A lovely finish full of style and power, it very much represented what this teams gives its fans. Sadly for the travelling hordes it turned out to be too little too late. It was a finished worthy of winning promotion but had to suffice as a consolation for a hard fought season which ultimately ended in disappointment.
The season had begun with a patched-up squad and injuries already biting deep so whilst missing out on the pay offs on the last is a pain that will linger over the summer it shouldn’t be ignored that just to be this close was a marvellous achievement. There’s a Cornish summer to lick wounds and heal limbs then, like Arnie, we’ll be back. And this time we’ll….who knows but don’t miss it.
