Ludgvan v Penzance Report

[cornishteddyboy]

Cornwall Combination League

14th April 2009

Ludgvan 0-6 Penzance Reserves

This was probably Penzance’s easiest win of the season as Ludgvan did not threaten the Magpies goal for the whole ninety minutes apart from a couple of shots that went well wide. Penzance did all their main work in the first half going in 4-0 up and in the 2nd half tended to coast even when Ludgvan had a man sent off.

Penzance kick-off playing into the sun towards the clubhouse end. After a few minutes they get a free kick on the left. The ball is knocked forward to Wade Brown who runs down the line of the 18yd box and just before he reaches the goal line he turns and volleys cross goal into the net to make it 0-1 after 4mins.

A minute later Penzance double their lead when they break left with Liam Bennetts who crosses to the back post where Ashley Thomas has a simple knock in from 6yds. 0-2 after 5mins. By now Penzance are knocking the ball around with short neat passes, something they are good at but rarely get the chance to prove. With Ludgvan playing so deep Penzance have plenty of time and space to impress Ludgvan’s biggest crowd of the season.

After 10mins Penzance pass the ball right to left across the mid-field, break then cross into Bennetts who turns and shoots strait into the keeper’s arms from 6yds out.

Brown gets his second on 18mins when good work down the Penzance left by Ross Badcock sees him cross long to the back post where Brown knocks the ball into to the net cross goal to make it 0-3.

Penzance make an early substitution bringing on Ryan Andrew for Charlie Penny. The Magpies then break right, cross the ball in diagonally into the box where a Tom Hosking glancing header just flicks past the far upright. Another break on the left sees the keeper get down quickly too block a low Gary Matthews volley.

Just as half-time is approaching Bennetts misses a sitter when Penzance break left, the keeper goes towards Matthews who flicks the ball to Bennetts who somehow scoops the ball over the bar from 6yds whilst looking at an empty goal.

Bennetts makes up for it a couple of minutes later when he gets on the score sheet. Once again Penzance break left, cross into the box. The shot is blocked comes out to Bennetts who makes no mistake from 10yds firing the ball through a crowd of players high and central. 0-4 after 45+2mins.

H-T

The second half is a much quieter affair as Ludgvan are reduced to 10 on 52mins when Danny Ford is sent off for a second bookable offence. The crowd are perplexed as no-one could see what he had done wrong. From then on Penzance seemed quite content to knock the ball around with Ludgvan spending most of the game in their half with 10 men in front of goal.

Ludgvan make a couple of substitutions with Penzance also make a couple, sending on Jimmy England for Bennetts and Steve Burt for Badcock who also gets booked for a challenge before he goes off the pitch.

Then on 69mins Penzance get their fifth. Finally they break right, cross the ball into the box and England gets the faintest of glancing header to flick the ball past the keeper to record his first senior goal.

The game becomes a bit of a stalemate with Ludgvan frustrating Penzance who are forced to look for openings but either shoot from long range or when close the keeper grabs everything.

The game is winding down when Penzance get their last goal. A through ball sees Thomas finally slip his marker and he runs into the box to push the ball low past the keeper. 0-6 after 87mins.

F-T

Penzance Man of the Match. It was difficult to pick out anyone who shone as the whole team got to look good but we give it to the front two, Thomas and Brown who tormented the Ludgvan defence all game.

Penzance – Craig Nicholls, Wade Brown, Charlie Penny, Ross Badcock, Liam Bennetts, Gary Matthews, Ashley Thomas, Tom Hosking, Bradley Wills, Liam Devine, Darren Holsey

Subs – Ryan Andrew (Penny 25), Jimmy England (Bennetts 53), Steve Burt (Badcock 66)

Corners – Ludgvan 1-1 Penzance (1-1 1st half)

Crowd - 63