Foxhole 1 Perranporth 1

[Darin Morse]

Foxhole 1 Perranporth 1

Saturday 4th September 2010

Foxhole still seek their first win of the season after a keenly contested encounter at a blustery Goverseth where flowing football from either side was at a premium. The Foxes looked the more likely to score early on, pressure from Griffin causing Rawlings to misdirect a back header over his own keeper but Blatch hacked clear, while Whetter fired narrowly wide. However, the visitors were to strike the same post twice in quick succession, first from Ford's free-kick, and then from Maynard's fierce effort, before the home team struck first on 35 minutes, Whetter playing a cute one-two with the impressive Friendship before curling a shot into the far corner. Friendship may have doubled the advantage soon after but elected to shoot from distance rather than race into the box, though Perranporth finished the half on the offensive, Holland brilliantly fielding a deflected free-kick by Ford, who then tamely nodded wide Luff's corner.

Despite now playing into the wind, Foxhole rarely appeared in danger of surrendering their clean sheet. However, early cautions for Douglas and Griffin, each for dissent, and a ludicrously harsh booking for substitute Kempthorne after a foul on Maynard, did not augur well for the inevitable late Perranporth charge. Sure enough, with their first attack for some time, a long ball from Hawke found Cox in space to equalise with a delicate lob with eighteen minutes remaining. Adam Holland almost restored the lead straightaway, but he headed wide Whetter's dead-ball, before only a great block from Ralph denied Luff during a scramble. Douglas' second yellow on eighty minutes following an innocuous challenge on Leete confirmed his inauspicicious start to the career at Foxhole, who were reduced to nine for the final seconds for more alleged dissent by Griffin. With similar indiscretions by the visitors going unpunished, Foxhole held on for a point, Ryan Holland earning full marks for fine saves from Rawlings' header and Ford's thunderous drive.

Foxhole (3-5-2): Ryan Holland; Lee Whetter, Bradley Ralph, Mark Rowe; CJ Bird (sub. Michael Kempthorne), Jason Warne (sub. Scott Laughton), Kyle Friendship, Adam Holland, Ben Douglas; Richard Griffin, Michael Body.

Perranporth (4-4-2): Ben Mitchell; Steve Hawke, Sam Moustrides, Dean Blatch, Dave Rawlings; Matt Luff, Jamie Cox, Ross Maynard, Barry Leete (sub. Shaun Clements); Danny Ford, Alex Arquati.

Referee: Mr Shaun Edge (Torpoint).