FA Vase: Penzance 1 Bishop Sutton 0

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FA Vase, 1st qualifying round

Penzance 1, Bishop Sutton 0

PENZANCE avenged their defeat by North Somerset outfit Bishop Sutton at the same stage of the competition last season as a Jay Liddicoat header midway through the first half was enough to earn the Peninsula League side a deserved home victory in front of a good sized crowd at Penlee Park.

Both sides created some good openings in a somewhat scrappy first 15 minutes, with Penzance's Nick Pugliese and Steve Hancock both going close and Sutton's Tom Bridgman also fired narrowly wide.

The home side took the lead after 26 minutes, with a goal that was worthy of deciding the tie. New signing Matt Witts whipped in a superb left wing cross which his fellow full-back Liddicoat met with a bullet header which gave Sutton's stand-in keeper Liam MacFarlane no chance.

The Magpies then lost Hancock through illness, and was replaced by Dan Magee, but still they continued to create the better openings, with Magee going closest when MacFarlane just got enough hand on to the ball to tip his rasping 25-yard effort over the bar.

The second half was a fairly untidy affair, with both sides having their chances, but Penzance should really have killed the tie off, with Stuart Reynolds having a header cleared off the line from former Premiership star Wayne Quinn's cross, while Quinn himself just failed to connect with Magee's excellent right-wing cross.

The visitors did have their chances to force extra-time, with home keeper Craig Nicholls' outstretched arm denying Bridgman, full back Jon Sage blasted high and wide, and probably their best opportunity saw winger Ashley Farrell scuff his effort wide when well placed four minutes from time.

Penzance should have increased their lead in the dying moments though when substitute Christian Lett twice went close - and Magee forced another good stop from MacFarlane.

But it was the Magpies' exquisite first half goal that ultimately decided the outcome - and ensured that all four Cornish clubs in action on the day progressed into the second qualifying round, where Penzance will meet another Somerset side, Wellington in a fortnight's time.

Line-ups:

PENZANCE: Craig Nicholls; Jay Liddicoat, Matt Witts, Wayne Quinn ©, Darren Ball, Dean Mooney, Jowan May (Christian Lett, 83), Nick Pugliese, Sean McMahon, Steve Hancock (Dan Magee, 36), Stuart Reynolds. Sub (not used): Tom Withecombe.

BISHOP SUTTON: Liam MacFarlane; Sam Payne (capt, John Durbin, 90+4), Jon Sage, Luke Andrews, Adam White, Zayne Simpson (Chris Flynn, 70), Ashley Farrell, Craig Stone, Danny Boyce, Tom Bridgman, Simon Bone. Subs (not used): Nick Gwyther.

Man of the match: Wayne Quinn (Penzance).

Referee: Mr S P Foster (Plymouth).

Assistants: Mr J Haywood (Dartmouth) and Ivan Murdoch (Helston).