St Piran Leagues, East and West - Oct 21st reports

[Tom Trust]

St Piran Prem West

Illogan RBL 0, Mousehole Devel 1

The game at Carharrack was postponed so I rocked up to Oxland Parc, where the Mousehole fans far outnumbered the Home supporters!

A game of four clear chances, two each, the visiting 'keeper earning the 3 points for Mousehole. I don't count tame free kicks that go straight into the 'keeper's arms or way over the bar.

0 - 0 at half time with Mousehole looking stronger down the slope, but neither 'keeper was tested beyond fielding or punching away the odd corner. Mousehole's players were vocally dominant which helped their cause.

Half time, a wee and a hot chocolate (£1) (the chocolate, that is) and the interesting (to me) fact that Mousehole took a couple of their subs into the dressing room with the starting eleven. Always took the subs in at half time, me. I wanted them to be part of the team and to hear all the half time chat. Anyway, after just a couple of minutes the Mousehole 'keeper saved brilliantly to his right, stopping a nailed-on goal from the first goal-bound shot of the game by either side. Then on 52 mins a hotly-disputed penalty awarded to Illogan by the ref, who was watching all the I-dotting and t-crossing as he was being assessed. The Mousehole 'keeper saved brilliantly to his left at the foot of the post - his 3rd pen save this season, apparently. 9 minutes later, capping off a breakaway as Mousehole had been being forced to defend for long periods thus far since the restart, Kyle Fraser lashed in a 30 yarder to beat the home 'keeper (WAS that Barry Wyatt?) out of the blue. Illogan continued to have most of the possession but Mousehole, rather than manage the game out, kept attacking when they could and the game's 4th chance was well-saved to deny Mousehole the chance to seal the points.

Mousehole are clearly well-coached but a bit of time ought to be spent on game management, as they conceded too many free kicks and corners in the last 10 or 15 minutes.

Although Illogan lost, it was an entertaining game to watch (though the Assessor didn't seem to think so, saying that "nothing much was happening here" in a 'phone call at half time).

Attendance must have exceeded 100, boosted by the aforementioned visiting fans.