Match Report

[cornishteddyboy]

Cornwall Combination League

30th August 2008

Penzance Reserves 8-2 Mullion

As the score line suggests this was a very one-sided affair. Apart from their 2 goals Mullion only managed three half-chances in the whole match whilst Penzance could and should have won by a much bigger margin.

Penzance had several regular players out with injury or on holiday but still coped with the lads from the Lizard Peninsular.

Within moments of the start Penzance break down their right, Sam Long runs into the box, shoots but the keeper blocks it on the line. But Sam will not be denied and gets on the score sheet on 7mins. A through ball down the centre, he runs onto it and volleys a screamer into the top right-hand corner of the net from 20yds. 1-0, 7mins.

Mullion counter-attack down their right, cross the ball over but then manage to scoop the ball over from 8yds out. Then on 17mins they have to swap keepers as their starting keeper was playing with an old injury which he couldn’t shake off.

Ashley Thomas, for Penzance tries a long range shot that does nothing more than scare the birds in the top of the trees behind the park end goal. Then Danny Michael has a golden chance to double the lead. Penzance get a corner on the right, drop it on the near post but Danny heads it just wide with an open goal in front of him.

On 26mins Ross Badcock gets the first of his four goals, a header from 6yds out from a cross passed in from the right. 2-0, 26mins.

Mullion get a chance to pull a goal back on 31mins when they get a free kick on the right, 30yds from goal. They shoot through the wall but Craig Nicholls between the sticks for the Magpies gets down and pushes the ball away and clear. That’s the last real threat from Mullion in the first half.

Penzance push forward, and in the 36min they go three up with the goal of the game. Ryan Holland picks the ball up on the halfway line, dribbles down the left to the goaline beating a couple of players. He then comes in and chips the keeper from 20yds at such an acute angle it hit the side netting, not the back of the net. 3-0, 36mins.

Then Sam Long gets his second and Penzance’s fourth. Danny Magee runs into the box, chips the keeper and Sam nods in at the back post. 40mins 4-0.

Danny Michael has his second clear-cut chance to get on the score sheet but he heads just wide at the back post. Then Ashley Thomas picks waltzes around four defenders but then wastes his effort with a tame shot. The Mullion keeper frightens himself by dropping a ball from a corner, but luckily drops like a stone onto it as three Penzance forwards converge on him.

Penzance then get a fifth goal three minutes into first-half injury time. Ryan Holland works his way down the left into the box, lays it off to Ross Badcock who fires a rising 20yd volley into the net. 5-0, 45+3mins.

The second-half starts out with Danny Michael still trying to get on the score sheet but instead of a header he blasts the ball over the bar.

Then Mullion get a goal back. They get a corner on the left which is cleared. It’s then worked onto right, the Penzance keeper is drawn out, a neat chip and Dan Hickey is on the back post to head in. 52mins, 5-1.

Then the Mullion keeper makes his best save of the game. Ashley Thomas lets go a dipping volley from 40yds out that the keeper fingertips up and over for a corner. But Penzance are relentless and won’t be denied another. Ross Badcock gets his hat trick when a ball is chipped forward. He runs onto it, heads it one the bar, picks up the rebound and taps it into the net. 6-1, 63mins.

A minute later Penzance sub Ashley Gray for Ryan Holland and he goes up for a corner. The ball comes in at the near post and he is there a flicks it into the net. First touch, a goal. An inspired substitution? 64mins, 7-1.

Mullion come back once more. They pass the ball along the edge of the box, then back and then a low volley comes in and is just pushed away by the keeper. This seems to be Mullion’s last attempt on goal for a while and they spend the next 20mins defending attack after attack.

Bradley Wills runs forward, beats two, shoots but the ball’s deflected for a corner.

Penzance sub Adam Flood for Ashley Thomas 76min.

Then Penzance get a corner on their right. The ball comes over to the back post where Bradley Wills heads it from 6yds out. The Mullion player on the post puts his hand up to either stop the ball or to protect his face but the ref sees the offence and it’s a penalty. Up steps Ross Badcock. Bang to the keepers right, goal number four. 8-1, 87mins.

But the game isn’t over and Mullion have the last say. A through ball sees Garath Mason run onto it, volleys low past the keeper to make it 8-2 on 89mins. The last real kick of the game is a waste Mullion free kick 35yds out, central midfield which hits the wall and bounces safely away.

Penzance Man of the Match – choice of 2. Ross Badcock for his 4 goals and Bradley Wills who played a great game just behind the front two. If it wasn’t for an unlucky deflection and handball he would also be on the score sheet.

Penzance – Craig Nicholls, Ryan Holland, Mark Grenfell, Andy Mead, Bradley Wills, Ross Badcock, Danny Michael, Sam Long, Danny Magee, Darren Holsey, Ashley Thomas.

Subs – Ashley Gray (Holland 64), Adam Flood (Thomas 76)

Mullion from – Robert Kew, Ben Tremayne, Dave Philips, Dan Higgins, Dan Hickey, William Duke ©, Ben Stidwell, Dan Stidwell, Chris Ensink, Chris Lawrence, David Cheetham, Charles Cheetham, Robert Carey, Darren Meagor, Garath Mason

Corner count 8-2 to Penzance (3-0 1st half)

Crowd count 78 plus some youngsters.