LUDGVAN 1-11 MOUSEHOLE

SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGE, DIVISION ONE WEST

SATURDAY 3rd NOVEMBER 2018, AT FAIRFIELD

Mousehole picked up the expected three points at nearby Ludgvan on Saturday and in the process boosted their all-important goal difference.  The Seagulls have now won their last five games, scoring 27 goals while conceding just 5, and this latest success lifts them up to fifth place in the league table ahead of two consecutive Cup Saturdays.

Ludgvan remain winless and rooted to bottom spot after 12 League games, but to their credit are at least managing to recruit enough players to fulfil their scheduled fixtures and maintain their place in the West Division after the departure in the summer of last season’s runners-up squad.

Indeed, the players who turned out for The Hurlers on Saturday put up a gallant and defiant first-half showing to restrict the visitors to a slender 2-1 margin at the interval, but they were run off their feet in a nine-goal onslaught in the second half.

The first half started promisingly for Kevin Nicholson’s men, with the new player-manager in the starting X1 and providing constant prompting from the back.  Paulo Sousa scored for Mousehole after 3 minutes, prodding home from close in after a defensive mistake, and by contrast Lorenzo Qerimi doubled the lead on 14 minutes with a thumping 18-yard half-volley into the roof of the net from Steven Ziboth’s left-wing run and a pulled back low cross.

But the hosts earned themselves a goal after 20 minutes when the direct-running sole striker Jamie Nicholls was fouled just inside the area by Ryan Andrew and duly slotted home from the penalty spot.  Despite Mousehole’s possession and continuous attacking, a combination of wasteful finishing and committed defending kept the half-time score to 2-1 – probably Ludgvan’s best 45 minutes of their troubled season.

Nicholson brought on three substitutes at the start of the second half in an attempt to convert superiority into goals, and within seconds Paulo Sousa tapped in another close range shot after a searching cross from the left.  Goals then followed at regular intervals as the game flowed mainly in one direction, with the tiring home side rarely able to get hold of the ball or escape from their own half.  On 50 minutes it was 4-1 as young left-back Tom Hands’ cross-cum-shot bobbled over the line.  Gerens James then got on the scoresheet on 57 with a header into an empty net after Nicholson’s flighted free kick from 25 yards had bounced back from the post.  The striker then notched his second four minutes later with another header from inside the six yard box this time from Hermann Niamke’s cross.

Paulo Sousa was first to his hat-trick in the 74th minute with a curling free kick into the top corner to take the score to 7-1, and the beleaguered Hurlers conceded an unlucky own goal with ten minutes left on the clock.  The Seagulls were in merciless mood and Gerens James duly completed his own hat-trick on 82 after Sousa’s fierce drive had been parried, and Sousa assisted on 85 as Hamza Kaid headed in the pinpoint cross to reach double figures.  It was 11-1 in the first minute of added-on time as Sousa completed a remarkable afternoon’s work with his fourth goal after Tyler Tonkin marked his return to the club with a great surging run from 60 yards out.

Mousehole’s next two fixtures are hugely anticipated Cup ties at Trungle Parc against Premier Division opposition, with The Seagulls having already this season eliminated three teams from the Division above – Millbrook 3-2 at home, and Newquay 2-0 and Sticker 4-0 both away.

This Saturday (10th), Steve Massey’s Helston Athletic make the short journey for a Cornwall Senior Cup second round tie, while on the following Saturday (17th) League leaders Plymouth Argyle bring their talented young squad to the far west for a South West Peninsula League Cup third round tie.  Both matches have a 2pm kick off, with extra time and penalties to decide the outcome if necessary.

Mousehole v Ludgvan: Jason Robertson, Billy Curtis (captain), Ryan Andrew, Kevin Nicholson, Tom Hands, Lorenzo Qerimi, Steve Burt, Paulo Sousa, Hamza Kaid, Gerens James, Steven Ziboth.

Substitutes: Luke Hunter, Tyler Tonkin & Hermann Niamke (for Ryan Andrew, Lorenzo Qerimi & Steven Ziboth, all 46 mins), Paul Williams.

Mousehole scorers: Paulo Sousa (3, 47, 74, 90+1), Gerens James (57, 66, 82), Lorenzo Qerimi (14), Tom Hands (50), OG (80), Hamza Kaid (85).

Ludgvan scorer: Jamie Nicholls (20, pen)

Referee: Rowan Clarke