Mousehole opened the current campaign with a painful three nil defeat at Malvern. The visitors arrived on the back of a run of seven wins from eight and sat comfortably in the play off places. Mousehole, meanwhile, had a record of no home league wins since the end of September. Thus the omens weren’t good as Interiora Trungle Parc once more defied the weather to provide a great surface for football. 

The early exchanges were an accurate reflection of the teams’ league positions with most of the action taking place in or around Ollie Chenoweth box. None of the chances created by Malvern seriously threatened the goal but it was a one way street for the first ten minutes.  

Mousehole’s first and, as it turned out, only chance of the first came soon after they had withstood the initial Malvern onslaught. Alex Cairo won the ball in midfield and played it out wide to debutant Iestyn Harris. The recent arrival rolled a first time pass in to the path of Hayden Turner as he sprinted into the area. The hitman took one touch before firing towards the far post. The keeper got the merest of touches and sent it wide. 

The deadlock was broken shortly afterwards when a Chenoweth kick was hoofed straight back in to the Mousehole defensive third. As the ball arced towards the Solom Browne stand Jacob Kevern and James Ward allowed the Malvern forward, Walton to get between them. The ball bounced once and Kevs, fatally, allowed it to bounce a second time. Walton pounced, chopped inside and  fired past Chenoweth. It was a soft goal to concede and it deflated the home ranks, on and off the pitch. When you’ve not won at home for so long you need a lucky break but there were none here. 

From then till the break the home faithful were hoping that it wouldn’t get worse. Chances came a-plenty but Malvern couldn’t increase their lead. Mousehole were looking like a team in need of a reset and as half time approached it looked like they would get their wish and go in just one down but that’s not the way things have gone this season. A late forward push was turned over and suddenly Malvern had four against three. It was just a question of whether they had the composure to take advantage. 

The first shot was kicked away by Chenoweth who had adjusted well when the goal bound effort was redirected at the last moment. Sadly for the Seagulls’ custodian his save went straight to a free forward who could pass it home undisturbed buy any defenders. The scorer was the aptly named Jesus Quintas but it was Mousehole who had given the early Christmas presents. 

The second half was a totally different affair. Malvern seemed happy with their day’s work and set out to soak up whatever Mousehole could chuck at them. As it happened, that was quite a lot and on many occasions it looked like the comeback was on only to be thwarted by a brave block or a great save. 

When the deficit was halved it came from the best Mousehole player on the pitch. Alex Cairo had been the only player in the first half to come out with any credit and he continued to shine in the second, having two good efforts stopped before he scored. 

A corner on the left was sent to the back post where James Ward nodded it back into the danger zone. Ed Harrison lashed at it but his weak connection turned into a perfect pass as the ball ran to Cairo who smashed it home. 

At that moment it felt like Mousehole would at least draw, if not win this game, such was the shift in momentum. With twenty five minutes to go it looked like a real possibility but whilst most of the play was at the car park end Mousehole never forced the keeper into a save. There was lots of huffing and puffing and energy but not enough guile to the break lock. 

It was, in the end, a valiant effort in the second half, but like so many times this season the game had been lost in the first forty-five. If Mousehole want to return to winning ways at home they need to start games like they finished this one.