ST DENNIS 0-6 MOUSEHOLE
SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE, PREMIER WEST
SATURDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER 2019
AT BOSCAWEN PARK
Mousehole managed to overcome the horrendous conditions – incessant rain becoming torrential as the match progressed, a howling wind and ankle-length grass – to record a seventh league win of the season and their third away success in eight days.
The Seagulls were returning to league action after first round Cup wins, 7-2 at Wadebridge in the League Cup and 6-0 at Porthleven in the Cornwall Charity Cup.
And another 6-goal victory maintained The Seagulls’ unbeaten start to the campaign and, remarkably, made it nine calendar months since the last league defeat, a run of 26 matches stretching back to late December last year.
Mousehole made a slow, too-casual start to the game but once they had mastered the conditions the goal chances came (and were missed) at regular intervals, and the hosts can count themselves fortunate not to have been on the end of a huge scoreline.
The goals that did go in started with Rheiss McClean in the 12th minute, receiving a forward pass on the edge of the penalty area, wrong-footing his marker and shooting right-footed low inside the post.
Lez Cela then curled an 18-yarder against the woodwork, Imani Matthews swerved a shot just past the angle from a similar distance, Kieran Toland missed with two close-range efforts, and Cela had a shot blocked on the line with keeper James Hunkin way out of position.
Just when the half looked like ending in frustration, Mousehole scored two superb goals in two minutes to give a more realistic look to the scoreline. Rheiss McClean hammered an unstoppable 20-yard drive into the top corner after a bout of patient passing on the left in the 44th minute. Then, with St Dennis mounting an attack from the re-start, the ball was retrieved and two quick passes saw Toland’s lay-off put Amara Bakayoko in on goal to drive high into the net.
The hosts made the quicker start to the second half, Seagulls’ keeper Corey Harvey having to make two smart saves in the first five minutes.
But Mousehole soon settled into their familiar rhythm, and a pass inside the full back enabled Imani Matthews to race in one-on-one with Hunkin to fire into the roof of the net on 53.
Two minutes later substitute Steve Burt was set up in space to drive a first-time right-footed low shot into the corner of the net from 18 yards.
Another two minutes and it was 6-0, with five goals having come in just 14 minutes’ playing time, as Lez Cela’s long cross from the left found centre-back Ben Williams lurking in space to head down inside the post.
Mousehole continued to flood forward in worsening conditions underfoot, but the expected goal bonanza never materialised.
Rheiss McClean was denied his third goal by the save of the match by keeper Hunkin on 83. The visitors then went on to miss two separate penalties awarded for fouls late on, Cela’s effort beaten out by Hunkin on 89 and McClean spurning a hat-trick by hitting the post with his spot kick a minute later.
Mousehole will face much bigger tests than that offered by the struggling Saints, starting with two much-anticipated fixtures in a row against currently the most talked-about teams in Premier West.
On Saturday (5th October) the only other unbeaten side in the league Saltash United are the visitors to Trungle Parc (3pm). The Ashes have won 10 of their 11 games so far, with a impressive goal tally of 57 against 8 and the strike partnership of Ryan Richards/Sam Hughes in prolific form.
And the following Wednesday (9th) it’s the short trip to third-place Helston Athletic (7.30pm). The Blues were reported to have spent unusually large sums of money to strengthen their squad in the summer, and one of those acquisitions Mark Goldsworthy currently leads the league’s ‘golden boot’ standings.
Mousehole at St Dennis: Corey Harvey, Billy Curtis (captain), Ben Williams, Tom Hands, Paulo Sousa, Lez Cela, Scott Imade, Rheiss McClean, Amara Bakayoko, Kieran Toland, Imani Matthews
Substitutes:Steve Burt (for Scott Imade, 31), Steven Ziboth (for Amara Bakayoko, 65), Sam Shulberg (for Kieran Toland, 70), Ben Harding, Mikey Flores
Scorers: Rheiss McClean (12, 44), Amara Bakayoko (45), Imani Matthews (53), Steve Burt (55), Ben Williams (57) Officials: Referee – Chris Rea; Assistants – Ken Swift & Neil Stephens
