MOUSEHOLE 4-2 PLYMOUTH MARJON
SOUTH WEST PENINSILA LEAGUE, DIVISION 1 WEST
SATURDAY 25TH NOVEMBER 2017, AT TRUNGLE PARC
Mousehole’s win on Saturday maintained this season’s 100% home record – three League and two Cup victories – since returning to Trungle Parc in October.
With The Seagulls almost back to full strength after the previous week’s defeat at Elburton Villa with a severely depleted squad, these hard-fought three points saw them climb five places to 9th, a good base for facing their next nine league games all of which are at home.
Plenty of goals and incidents helped keep the spectators warm on a cold afternoon, and good chances were missed at both ends before Mousehole took the lead on 22 minutes with a fine goal from Tyler Tonkin who came up from right-back to exchange passes with Calum Elliot and crash a 10-yard drive in from an angle.
To their credit Marjons hit back immediately and after going close with a header just wide from a corner, they equalised in the 24th minute through midfielder Adam Smietanka’s lofted drive from 25 yards into the roof of the net.
Mousehole created the better chances in the remainder of the half, Calum Elliot having a shot deflected on 30 minutes after a period of sustained possession, and Tyler Tonkin almost adding his second with a lob over the bar just before the interval.
The Seagulls dominated the early stages of the second half, combative midfielder Jordan Adlard putting a fierce header marginally off-target from Luke Johnson’s driven corner, Liam Andrew flicking Calum Elliot’s cross against the crossbar, and the same player forcing a flying save from the ‘keeper with a close-range header.
But the inevitable goal came in the 56th minute when Jordan Adlard was first to a loose ball amid a scramble on the edge of the 6-yard box and his brave header was cleared from behind the line, with the well-placed assistant referee flagging for the goal.
Amazingly, the visitors equalised once more within three minutes, when referee Mark Hosking deemed that a grounded player had been tripped inside the area, and the converted penalty made it 2-2.
An exciting eight minutes ended with Mousehole regaining the lead on 64 minutes. The attack-minded Liam Andrew scored a richly-deserved first goal of the season, darting in front of the ‘keeper to nod into the net from Tyler Tonkin’s searching cross, an indication of the fluidity of The Seagulls’ play with both full backs getting on the scoresheet for the first time in recent memory.
Marjons were still in the hunt and wasted possible chances for a third equaliser in the 75th and 78th minutes, before substitute Bradley Wills made the lead more comfortable in the 84th minute, driving home from 10 yards following a great break forward by Josh Otto and a blocked shot by Connor Davey.
With a 4-2 lead, Mousehole finished the game strongly, with Calum Elliot having a shot blocked by the keeper’s legs after Bradley Wills’ clever pass, and Connor Davey shooting wide after a shrewd Josh Otto pass put him in the clear.
Mousehole: Steve Parker-Billinge, Tyler Tonkin, Billy Curtis (captain), Max Hill, Liam Andrew, Kevin Lawrence, Jordan Adlard, Josh Otto, Connor Davey, Luke Johnson, Calum Elliot.
Substitutes: Bradley Wills (for Kevin Lawrence, 70), Danny Park, Caleb Marsden, Yeshe Briar, Jake Andrew
Mousehole scorers: Tyler Tonkin (22), Jordan Adlard (56), Liam Andrew (64), Bradley Wills (84)
Referee: Mark Hosking. Attendance: 56
Mousehole will be looking to maintain their 100% home record this Saturday (2nd December) when RNAS Culdrose – with only two points gained so far from 13 games in this season’s Cornwall Combination League – visit Trungle Parc for a Cornwall Senior Cup second round tie (2pm).
