Mousehole 2-1 Bitton
Western League Premier Division
Saturday 2nd April 2022
At Trungle Parc
Summary
The Seagulls recorded a vital win to maintain their challenge near the top of the table, enjoying a massive share of possession but finding the visitors determined and well organised.
Pre-match points
Mousehole are now into the last six fixtures in the last three weeks of their first season after promotion.
They were in mid-table when they travelled to second-place Bitton in November, coming away with an eye-catching 4-0 win with two goals each by Hayden Turner and recent newcomer Louis Price. How times have changed! It’s the South Gloucestershire side who are now occupy mid-table.
It’s a well-over 400-mile return journey for Bitton, and their pre-match preparations have not been helped by their coach driver trying to find the ground in Mousehole village.
It’s cool and breezy at Trungle Parc, with rain forecast during the match.
Before kick-off there’s a minute’s applause to remember the six-decades’ contribution to Mousehole AFC of Malcolm ‘Megs’ Brown, who passed away last year aged 85. Megs’ family and ex-players are in attendance, and all proceeds and donations from this match are going to the Dementia Uk Charity.
The key moments
Mousehole are kicking towards the Cricket Club End in the first half
15 minutes: Mousehole have made a bright start but Bitton have the first serious shot on goal, Jordan Williams’ attempt from 20 yards straight at home keeper Ollie Chenoweth
16 minutes: The Seagulls inches away from an opener – Tallan Mitchell bisects the defence for Kyle Fraser to sprint to the byeline on the left and put a low cross evading everyone and just past the far post
22 minutes: Max Hill heads Hayden Turner’s long corner back inside where visiting keeper Matt Dunk climbs above Mark Goldsworthy to grab the ball in front of goal
24 minutes: Another low cross from the left by Kyle Fraser gives Mark Goldsworthy the chance to turn, but his 8-yard shot is half-blocked and rolls gently into the keeper’s arms
28 minutes: Another good passing move ends with Jack Calver’s left-footed drive from the edge of the Bitton area going straight at Matt Dunk
31 minutes: GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE. Mark Goldsworthy and Tallan Mitchell cleverly split the visiting rearguard for STEVE BURT to race into space from midfield and plant a right-foot shot from 12 yards across the keeper and high into the net. A well-worked goal well worth waiting for! Mousehole 1-0 Bitton.
35 minutes: Bitton’s defenders are not afraid to put their bodies on the line as Mousehole continue in attacking mood – this time Tallan Mitchell’s goal-bound shot from 18 yards is half blocked, making Matt Dunk’s save more comfortable
37 minutes: Bitton mount a rare attack, with David Duru making himself some space in the box but firing over the bar
40 minutes: Hayden Turner’ right-footed swerving shot from the edge of the area hits the side-netting with keeper Dunk a hopeful onlooker
45 minutes: Mark Goldsworthy is through one-on-one inside the area but Matt Dunk saves with his legs
45+1 minutes: The half-time whistle goes with The Seagulls having dominated possession but with only the one goal to show for it. Mousehole 1-0 Bitton.
The second half starts amid the expected rain.
50 minutes: GOAL FOR BITTON. There’s a moment of hesitation in the Mousehole half, allowing DAVID DURU to speed through on goal – Ollie Chenoweth comes out to block the shot but the striker is first to the loose ball to touch it over the line. An unexpected equaliser on the balance of play, but a well-exploited lapse. Mousehole 1-1 Bitton.
56 minutes: Hayden Turner puts Tallan Mitchell’s set-up over the line but it’s disallowed for offside
58 minutes: Mark Goldsworthy drives over from 18 yards after Tallan Mitchell again provides the assist with a run into the heart of the visitors’ defence
An hour gone. Mousehole have resumed their possession play and at times it looks like a game of ‘attack v defence’ – but all credit to Bitton who are holding their positions well
67 minutes: Double Mousehole substitution – Callam Mconie on for Mark Goldsworthy, and Andy Elcock on for Kyle Fraser
68 minutes: GOAL FOR MOUSEHOLE. Tallan Mitchell is tackled when in on goal but it’s a corner not a penalty. Callam Mconie’s first piece of action is to send in a left-footed dipping inswinger from the right-sided flag kick and LOUIS PRICE shows great speed, strength and power to race into the six-yard box ahead of his marker and the keeper to head home. Mousehole 2-1 Bitton.
72 minutes: Callam Mconie is fouled close to the side edge of the visitors’ penalty box, Tallan Mitchell puts a low free kick in and Hayden Turner side-foots it just past the near post.
78 minutes: Bitton are still in this game at 2-1. Fletcher Cripps aims a lob towards the top corner of Ollie Chenoweth’s goal, but the keeper has seen it all the way and gets back to make a comfortable-looking catch.
79 minutes: Mousehole substitute – Hayden Turner is replaced by Jared Sims
80 minutes: A Bitton corner comes across from the left and centre-back Callum Ball bundles both keeper and ball into the net for an obvious foul
85 minutes: Tallan Mitchell takes a 25-yard free kick left of centre but his direct shot doesn’t curl enough and misses the far post
88 minutes: Bitton are looking for possibilities up front. A corner kick is driven across goal with no-one getting a touch.
89 minutes: A Bitton free-kick from the right touchline is well defended
90 minutes: Bitton’s Callum Ball is up front chasing a pass towards the byeline, but it goes out and the big defender skids into the pitch-side hoarding. It’s a serious-looking leg injury requiring prolonged physio treatment, and eventually he has to be helped off. The visitors will play the last few minutes with ten men, having already used their available substitutes.
90+3 minutes: Louis Prices surges into the box and lays a pass inside for Tallan Mitchell whose mis-hit shot from 10 yards is cleared by a defender
90+4 minutes: Andy Elcock’s low 20-yard drive is kept out at full stretch by Matt Dunk
90+5 minutes: Callam Mconie has the ball inside the six-yard box on his renowned left foot, but his shot is brilliantly blocked by a defender
90+6 minutes: Jack Calver hits a 20-yard right-foot drive at the well-positioned keeper
90+7 minutes: Tallan Mitchell and Andy Elcock execute a smart one-two inside the area, Elcock’s shot is superbly parried by keeper Dunk and Jared Sims drives the loose ball over
90+8 minutes: That’s full time, and a 2-1 win for The Seagulls. With news of Exmouth’s win at Helston, it’s a case of the points being more important than the performance.
What this result means for Mousehole
Mousehole remain in second place, one point ahead of Exmouth and four behind Tavistock, all from the same number of games (30). With five games to go, Mousehole have three at home and two away (fixture details below).
Mousehole line-up v Bitton (with used substitutes):
Ollie Chenoweth (GK), Billy Curtis (C), Mark Richards, Max Hill, Kyle Fraser (Andy Elcock), Steve Burt, Tallan Mitchell, Jack Calver, Louis Price, Mark Goldsworthy (Callam Mconie), Hayden Turner (Jared Sims)
Other substitutes: Jamie Devine, Paulo Sousa
Match officialsRowan Clarke (Referee) with Luke Wilkes & Max Davies (Assistants)
Attendance: 104
Remaining Mousehole fixtures
*Tuesday 5th April: HOME v Keynsham Town, 7.30pm (OFF)
Saturday 9th April: Away v Wellington, 3pm
Good Friday, 15th April: HOME v Helston Athletic, 11am
Easter Monday, 18th April: HOME v Ashton & Backwell United, 3pm
Saturday 23rd April: Away v Keynsham Town, 3pm
*Mousehole Development Team’s match at Trungle Parc versus St Ives Town has been put back a day to Wednesday 6th (6.30pm).
