Foxhole 4 Truro 2

[Darin Morse]

Foxhole 4 Truro 2

Saturday 22nd October 2011

Foxhole returned to winning ways after a fantastic display knocking their high-flying opponents off their stride with a thrilling combative approach, Truro ultimately having no answer to the irrepressible Richard Griffin. The marine notched the first of his trio inside three minutes, racing on to Gotthardt's early ball to beat Brooks at the near post from twenty-five yards, but the visitors, backed by a fair wind, soon settled to enjoy some decent possession, creating a number of chances but once again found Ryan Holland in inspired form. The experienced striking duo Shaughnessy and Bowker were impressing with clever movement to escape the clutches of the home rearguard who appeared much more secure than last week, but each were denied by excellent goalkeeping, while Johnstone, out of position on the left to accommodate the disappointing Palmer, saw a rising drive brilliantly tipped over. Having weathered the storm the Foxes ended the half threatening a second, both Adam Holland and Stephen unable to direct free headers past the grateful arms of an uncertain-looking Brooks, who soon had to scramble to turn aside the outstanding Spaul's long range daisy cutter, Holland turning the subsequent corner over the bar from six yards.

Picking himself up from being crudely dumped to the floor by Conibear, Adam Trudgian doubled the lead within three minutes of the restart with an exquisite chipped free-kick, and, with Griffin then lobbing marginally wide, the Foxes seemed well capable of registering a convincing win, particularly when fortune appeared to be favouring them when Shaughnessy's goalbound effort was deflected wide by his own team-mate Bowker. However the belated arrival of the highly rated Bowyer and the inevitable switch to 4-3-3 gave the Foxes more to contend with, Bowker almost reducing the arrears straightaway from a good pass from the increasingly frustrated Conibear, soon booked for his part in an entertaining episode of handbags in front of the grandstand.

With nineteen minutes remaining, Truro were offered a lifeline when a generous free-kick decision awarded against Adam Holland for an alleged foul on Bowyer allowed the largely anonymous Vanes to find the net from twenty yards. The home faithful are used to seeing their team snatch defeat from the jaws of victory but their nerves were calmed three minutes later. Griffin, who had just spurned a chance when running from deep on to Thomas's searching ball, made amends by heading over Brooks from fifteen yards following more superb work from a revitalised Spaul, rightfully restored to his central midfield role. Only a hundred more seconds had elapsed when Griffin completed his hat-trick, seizing on an underhit backpass by Rogers to round Brooks after Hazeldine's ferocious tackling had again proved crucial. Truro were well beaten by now, their ball players not having found their visit to Goverseth particularly hospitable, and they could easily have faced a thrashing as both Griffin and Spaul tried their luck with fierce efforts. However they were to complete the scoring at the death, Bragg volleying home Johnstone's deep centre, but it did nothing to take the gloss off a terrific Foxhole victory.

Foxhole (4-4-2): Ryan Holland; Richard Faircloth, Ben Thomas (sub. Adam Fieldhouse), Adam Holland, Ryan Stephen; Jaydon Gotthardt (sub. Jamie Coates), Shaun Cunningham, Ben Spaul, Lee Hazeldine (sub. Ryan Wilkins); Richard Griffin, Adam Trudgian.

Truro (4-4-2): Tom Brooks; Alex Rowe (sub. Stuart Maxwell), Paris Waller, Jason Rogers, Keiron Conibear; Scott Palmer (sub. Jack Bowyer), Sean Johnstone, Josh Bragg, Mike Vanes; Pat Shaughnessy, Andy Bowker.

Referee: Mr Tony Allen (Bodmin).