St Ives v Penzance Match Report

[cornishteddyboy]

St Ives Town 1-0 Penzance Reserves

This was one of the games when you can shout “We were robbed”. Penzance played the better football, had more of the ball, created the greater number of chances but St Ives muscled them off the ball and snatched a late winner to take all three points. It was a game of men verses boys as St Ives had only one youngster in their team whilst Penzance only had three players over twenty-one.

The first few minutes are fairly even with Penzance trying to play their passing game whilst St Ives try to get a through ball to Darren Steadman their lethal striker. Neither side gets close to goal until Penzance work the ball to the right, where Gary Matthews tries a low shot which is grabbed by Tony Symons, the St Ives keeper. He also grabs a shot from Ashley Thomas who fires in low from the edge of the box.

Then we get the first of several injuries. A Penzance free kick, 40yds out is floated in by Thomas. The keeper punches the ball but it goes straight up instead of clear. As the ball comes down the keeper and Liam Devine jump up together and in his panic to clear it, the keeper punches Liam in the face. Totally accidental.

A few seconds later, with the ball at the other end, a high tackle sees Penzance’s Mark Grenfell carried off on a stretcher with an injury to his knee. It’s his first game back for several months! Penzance bring on Charlie Penny as replacement.

Then St Ives get their first chance on goal. A free kick, 40yds out, right of centre, is floated in to the left where a header is flicked on into the keepers arms.

Then it’s Penzance’s keeper, Craig Nicholls’ turn to be injured. A St Ives free kick on the left is fired in, the keeper grabs but drops the ball. The ref blows for an infringement but a St Ives player runs in an kicks the keeper in the back whilst he’s smothering the ball.

Penzance break down their right, Matthews crosses into the 6yd box but Steve Hancock heads just over. The final action of the half sees a Tom Hosking shot palmed away to safety by the St Ives keeper.

The ref blows for half-time having played eleven minutes of injury time.

H-T

St Ives begin the half pushing much more forward than they did the first, hustling Penzance off the ball as they try to pass it around. They give away a lot of petty free kicks which breaks the game up and from the moaning to the ref at every decision are starting to get frustrated as they can’t break through the Penzance defence.

Even with all the pressure it is still Penzance getting the chances. A quick break brings a shot from Hancock that just misses the upright and Hosking puts in a diagonal ball from the right which has two players sliding in but both miss.

St Ives make a substitution.

Then the St Ives keeper makes the save of the game. Penzance break right, Thomas crosses into the box, Hancock runs onto it, shoots but Symons makes a great one-handed palm away for a corner.

St Ives break but a weak shot by Steadman from the left is smothered by the keeper.

Penzance make a couple of substitutions, one for an injury to Hancock.

St Ives have a shot which is deflected away with the keeper flat-footed. Then St Ives grab their winner. A free kick on the right is partially cleared to the right where Simon Carter, on the edge of the box fires low across the goal into the net. 1-0 after 83mins.

Penzance push forward for the last few minutes trying to equalise and St Ives defend “a little carelessly” having three players booked.

The ref plays five minutes of injury time then calls a halt to proceedings.

My Penzance Man of the Match goes to Tom Hosking. Did well at the back, helped well in mid-field and even had the odd chance on goal.

Penzance – Craig Nicholls, Mark Grenfell, Darren Holsey, Ashley Thomas, Liam Devine, Ross Badcock, Ian Philips, Gary Matthews, Steve Hancock, Ryan Holland, Tom Hosking.

Subs – Charlie Penny (Grenfell 42), James England (Philips 75), Ryan Andrew (Hancock 77)

Corner count – St Ives 2-5 Penzance (1-1 1st half)

Crowd – 37 (8 from St Just, 21 from Pz, 8 from St Ives)

[isaac rosenberg]

ST Ives 1 Penzance Nil

The report was not up to your usual high standards of impartiality, CTB !

The Saltings pitch stood up excellently to all that Teletubby Trampling. Superb finish from ex-St Just striker Simon Carter deservedly won the game. Corinthian, heroic, spirited performance from Simpson, Trathen, Stedman and the other real men in blue, lustily cheered on by St Just squad, against the moaning Magpies, under their new Ludgvan coach, presumably Roberta's replacement. Shame about the injuries, but the Tinners are bound to be gentler hosts next week.

Does anybody know where those emoticons that looked like coffins have gone ?

Good luck to St Ives next week away to Mr Roberts too ! :D