Bridport 0-6 Mousehole
Western League Premier Division
Saturday 4th December 2021
At St Mary’s Fields
Scorers: Hayden Turner (3), Louis Price, Callam Mconie, Mark Goldsworthy
SUMMARY
Against bottom club Bridport, Mousehole continued their fine sequence of results – now with 9 wins in the last 11 league games – to climb three places up the WLP table and set up an interesting second half of the season.
PRE-MATCH POINTS
Mousehole continue their inaugural Western League campaign by venturing into the county of Dorset for the first time, with the 150-mile journey to Bridport, situated 1.5 miles inland from West Bay on the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site and popular filming location.
Formed in 1885, “The Bees” have spent 45 of the last 50 seasons in the Western League, 34 of those in the Premier Division where they finished in a highest-ever third place in 2010/11. This season however is proving difficult, as they sit at the foot of the table with only three points from their opening 21 games – a 2-1 over newly promoted Ashton and Blackwell United in late August. In their last two outings they lost heavily to Bitton and Saltash, contributing to their current goal deficit of 87, but to their credit they lost narrowly by only a single goal away at Wellington a month ago.
“The Seagulls” are on a good run of form in the League, with eight wins, one draw and one defeat (at Bridgwater) in the last ten games, including last Saturday’s dramatic 2-1 win against Saltash with a 95th minute goal by centre-back Mark Richards. That win took Mousehole up to 9th place, with several games in hand over the teams above.
Mousehole are without Josh Otto, Paulo Sousa, Andy Elcock, Jamie Devine and Josh Magin for various reasons, while the substitutes’ bench includes Andy Watkins, a recent short-term ‘dual signing’ courtesy of Tiverton Town.
As expected at this time of year, the pitch surface is soft but there’s plenty of grass, and the weather is fine apart from the occasional rain shower.
THE MATCH – AS IT HAPPENED
1 minute: Hayden Turner is occupying an attacking midfield position, with Louis Price wide on the left
3 minutes: GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE. Tallan Mitchell is fouled as he sprints onto an incisive reverse pass into the hosts’ penalty area. HAYDEN TURNER puts the spot kick just out of the reach of keeper Greg Taylor.
7 minutes: A chance for The Bees as Callum Arnold latches on to a sloppy pass out by the visitors, but his lobbed attempt is too high
11 minutes: Tallan Mitchell and Hayden Turner set up a great chance for Louis Price who fires over from 10 yards
12 minutes: Another chance for Bridport, with some last-ditch defending needed to thwart winger Harry Boulton
29 minutes: The hosts threaten again with a long ball down the right enabling Harry Boulton to slide the ball inside where Callum Arnold shoots wide of the near post
Half an hour gone, and Bridport are very much in the game. There’s a fascinating duel happening on the left with the hosts’ 17-year old Malakai Stanners matching Louis Price for strength and speed.
31 minutes: Hayden Turner drives over from just inside the area after Callam Mconie’s pass
41 minutes: Tallan Mitchell’s astute pass releases Hayden Turner for his customary left-wing sprint and first-time low cross from the bye line, but the unmarked Callam Mconie puts it wide at the far post
44 minutes: GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE. Steve Burt gets forward into space on the right of the box and his superb cross is headed home by LOUIS PRICE. A much needed goal coming at the right time!
Half-time: It’s Bridport 0-2 Mousehole. The Seagulls are not at their best, but that second goal will have deflated the hosts after maybe their best opening 45 minutes of the season. But more importantly, a floodlight failure means there’s a real possibility the match will have to be abandoned. Mousehole will not fancy a mid-week trip here if the fixture has to be re-arranged!
Second half: Some of the lights (7 of the 20) are back on and the Referee has curtailed the half-time interval to get play underway, with the respective managers’ agreement.
50 minutes: GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE. Mark Goldsworthy’s pull-back from the left, after a great run into space, wrong-foots the home defence and CALLAM MCONIE makes no mistake from six yards.
53 minutes: Keeper Greg Taylor makes a one-on-one save versus Mark Goldsworthy
56 minutes: Tallan Mitchell’s opinion earns the Referee’s displeasure and he will spend the next 10 minutes in the ‘sin bin’
59 minutes: Louis Price’s overhead kick from a corner is too high
An hour gone: Mousehole now look to be in total control, despite playing with only ten men
65 minutes: GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE. Hayden Turner races past two defenders on the right and puts a low cross into the danger area where MARK GOLDSWORTHY is in the right place to bury the chance. Bridport 0-4 Mousehole.
It’s getting dark but fortunately the weather is quite fair and the partial floodlighting is adequate.
69 minutes: Mousehole substitute – Louis Price is replaced by Charlie Willis, who goes into midfield
72 minutes: GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE. It’s 5-0 after keeper Taylor crashes into Mark Goldsworthy as he gets to a through-ball first, and HAYDEN TURNER drives in the penalty
73 minutes: Mousehole substitute – Steve Burt is replaced by Andy Watkins, who takes up a left-sided wing-back position
82 minutes: GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE. Callam Mconie’s low cross is converted by HAYDEN TURNER for his hat-trick.
85 minutes: Mousehole’s dominance continues in the gloom as Tallan Mitchell looks to get on the scoresheet, with keeper Taylor saving the shot with his legs
90+1: A nasty injury for Mark Goldsworthy as he skilfully turns his marker on the halfway line but receives a blow on the ankle in the process
90+4 minutes: At full time it’s Bridport 0-6 Mousehole. The Seagulls had to work hard to assert themselves against The Bees, whose commendable eagerness was better than their ball retention.
MOUSEHOLE LINE-UP (used substitutes)
Ollie Chenoweth (GK), Billy Curtis (C), Max Hill, Mark Richards, Kyle Fraser, Steve Burt (Andy Watkins), Tallan Mitchell, Hayden Turner, Callam Mconie, Mark Goldsworthy, Louis Price (Charlie Willis)
Other substitute: Jake Ash
THE RESULT – WHAT IT MEANS
This expected win takes Mousehole up to 6th place, the highest position on the football pyramid in the club’s history, and at the same time has greatly improved their goal difference. The teams above have played between one and five games more, so there’s plenty of positive anticipation as the half-way point of the League season approaches.
MATCH OFFICIALS: David Lilly (Referee) with Stuart Griffith & Stephen Fall (Assistants)
ATTENDANCE: 86
NEXT FIXTURES FOR MOUSEHOLE:
This Saturday, 11th December, kick off 3pm: HOME v Shepton Mallet, Western League Premier. Includes official naming of the ‘Solomon Browne Stand’ by RNLI.
Saturday 18th December, 3pm, away at Street FC, WLP.
Boxing Day, 26th December, 12noon, away at Helston Athletic, WLP. New Year’s Day, 1st January 2022, 3pm, HOME v Exmouth Town (WLP)
