Helston 2 Foxhole 0

[Darin Morse]

Helston 2 Foxhole 0

Saturday 19th November 2011

Foxhole's decision to pack their midfield to frustrate their youthful opponents backfired inside five minutes when a clever move of the quality Helston were to repeat at worryingly regular intervals presented outside-left Rowe with an easy chance to find the corner of the net. Even by then Goldsworthy had squandered two opportunities and the Foxes continued to be torn apart by smooth passing and intelligent movement off the ball on the huge pitch, with too many of the visitors watching helplessly as play went on around them. Goldsworthy was to be denied a third time after Young had seized on Stephen losing the ball on halfway, but Holland's fine save counted for nothing as, within moments, the blond striker had followed up to net from close range once fellow forward Stidwell's effort had ricocheted off a post on sixteen minutes. Young was as prominent as anyone with a series of probing runs, from one of which he over ran the ball before his drive deflected off a prone Spaul into the path of Goldsworthy, whose weak finish was to typify his afternoon. Almost immediately Thomson's fiercely struck effort through a mass of bodies was beaten away by Holland, who was soon called into action again to field Stidwell's shot from twenty yards. Home keeper Robertson had barely touched the ball but he nevertheless did well to save from an increasingly isolated and frustrated Griffin, the final action before the outclassed Foxes were able to scurry to the sanctuary of the Clodgey Lane changing room.

Local bookmakers were quoting massive odds against Foxhole maintaining a clean sheet in the second half but they were to somehow manage it, largely thanks to further inspired goalkeeping and some pretty inept finishing. The early opportunities even fell their way, the realisation that Helston were much more adept at attacking rather than defending finally hitting home. Adam Holland flicked Gotthardt's outswinging corner into the path of Griffin, but the marine could only fire wide from close range, before the same player ended a mazy dribble with a delayed pass to an offside Spaul when a shot looked on. But these were rare sorties, the home team always the more likely to net the game's third goal. Following a scramble Goldsworthy struck a post and Rowe dropped the rebound onto the top of the bar, before Dan Stidwell's centre was pushed out to his brother Ben, who very charitably fluffed his lines from six yards. Holland performed miracles to keep out a volley from veteran Thwaites and two additional attempts from Goldsworthy at about the time when Griffin had finally been given a partner in the shape of Wilkins. However, it was not exactly a case of the Foxes going down with all guns blazing, although Griffin did shoot narrowly wide from Spaul's assist, and Gotthardt at least gave Robertson something to do with a very late smother.

Foxhole (4-5-1): Ryan Holland; Richard Faircloth, Ben Thomas, Adam Holland, Joe Stone; Adam Gamble (sub. Jaydon Gotthardt), Peter May (sub. Ryan Wilkins), Shaun Cunningham, Ben Spaul, Ryan Stephen; Richard Griffin.

Helston (3-5-2): Jason Robertson; Ashley Stidwell, Sam Buckler, Frazer Cumming; Tom Russell, Terry Rowe (sub. Nigel Thwaites), Jamie Thomson, Shaun Parker (sub. Sam Harry), Charlie Young (sub. Ben Stidwell); Dan Stidwell, Mark Goldsworthy.

Referee: Mr Ian Pattison (Helston).

[Blues10]

Think you'll find that the goalkeeper pulled off some outstanding saves this afternoon, and I'll be the 1st to admit I missed a one on one in the second half, but the others were denied by brilliant saves.. I'll also take a weak finish every game if it mean scoring. A goal is a goal.