Foxhole 3 Porthleven 1

[Darin Morse]

Foxhole 3 Porthleven 1

Saturday 29th October 2011

While never at their best, Foxhole sustained their recent impressive run with a hard fought victory over a youthful outfit in typically windy and misty Clay Country. After a couple of very early scares as the Foxes contemplated which of their defenders was supposed to be picking up lone forward Carey, Cunningham raced from the halfway line on to Thomas' astute pass to confidently beat Williams inside five minutes, but, despite being backed by the breeze, the home team failed to build on their advantage, instead allowing Porthleven not only to settle, but to create a succession of chances often involving the eye-catching McPhilbin and Adlard.

However, once again Ryan Holland was in imperious form, brilliantly saving both Adlard's free kick and a fierce drive from Lawrence, who may have done better at the far post from Fox's cross from the left, although Carey's air shot didn't help him. While the visitors continued to threaten it was not one way traffic, Griffin (who had been harshly booked for dissent) proving a handful, twice going close with efforts that tested veteran keeper Williams. Fellow striker Cunningham was denied by Strike's clearance off the line and Trudgian was slow in shooting when well-placed, but the break was reached with the home faithful acknowledging the need for their team to raise their game.

Foxhole appeared to have recognised this themselves with an explosive start to the second half, Trudgian and Cunningham squandering close-range opportunities on two occasions each, but Porthleven still looked dangerous, the Holland brothers performing wonders to deny Hunter, Fox and Lawrence with finely timed saves and brave blocks. Ryan Stephen, too, was a tower of strength, particularly once substitute Morris was pushed up alongside Carey, but the Foxes' own reshuffle, which saw Trudgian joining Griffin upfront, was to pay immediate dividends. Cunningham, now restored to outside-left, crossed from the left for Griffin to fire under Williams from six yards at the far post on sixty-eight minutes.

That really should have been that, but the Fishermen took advantage of the Foxes' tendency to self-destruct by reducing the arrears six minutes later. Adlard's superb dead ball crashed against the underside of the bar and may even have crossed the line, but Stephen's attempt to clear resulted in him inadvertently bundling the ball into his own net. The fightback was almost completed within moments but Morris headed narrowly wide Batchelor's deep free kick as Foxhole hung on grimly, their nerves not being calmed until two minutes from time when Griffin's fine run was halted illegally by Cattran for Trudgian to despatch the penalty.

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

Porthleven (4-5-1): Paul Williams; Robbie Robinson, Luke Hunter (sub. Fred Williams), Chris Strike (sub. Chris Morris), Lee Cattran; Chris Lawrence, Matt Fox, Keagan McPhilbin, Jordan Adlard, Dominic Batchelor; Rob Carey.

Referee: Mr Steve Nute (Saltash).