WENDRON 1 CAMELFORD 1

WENDRON picked up a welcome point from their Carlsberg SW Peninsula League division one (West) clash with Camelford at Underlane, but it should have been all three.

After an opening period where both sides did little more than probe for openings, Wendron created a number of good openings that could have put the result beyond doubt after just 45 minutes.

They failed to take them and then had to play catch up after Camelford snatched the lead.

"This is a match we definitely should have won," said manager Steve Webber. "We created some excellent opportunities in the first half from which we really should have scored and had the game wrapped up.

"We then find ourselves a goal down and were then grateful for finding an equaliser, but really this was a case of two points dropped rather than one gained.

"This was the first game for some time that we have had most of the first-choice squad available, so it was inevitable that they would take some time before showing some of the fluency we had seen earlier in the season."

Neither side could make too much headway in the opening stages and it wasn't until the 35th minute that one of them created a goalscoring opening. It fell to Wendron and then sparked a success ion of chances until the half-time whistle.

A pass back to the goalkeeper never looked like reaching him and when Mike O'Neill pounced a goal was on the cards, but the 'keeper made a fine save from O'Neill's well-struck shot.

Another good move saw O'Neill backheel the ball into the path of Glyn Hobbs, but his shot from the edge of the box went just over the bar.

Wendron maintained the pressure and two minutes later a good move by Mark Pope and Justin Searle set up O'Neill who shot wide at the far post.

With half-time rapidly approaching a corner was headed back across the face of goal, but O'Neill was again out of luck when the header just cleared the bar.

In the second half Wendron's play became more fluent, but despite all their good approach work they suffered the shock of conceding a goal in the 65th minute. A free kick was headed back across the face of the goal by Adam Cudmore for Mike Retter to sidefoot into the net at the far post.

Fortunately for Wendron their reply was not long in coming and in the 72nd minute they deservedly equalised following a good move between Peter Maclean and Justin Searle with Maclean hitting a scorching 25 yard shot. Stuart Hill did well to get his hand to it and keep it out, but the predatorial skills of Mike Newberry came to the fore when he followed up to lash the rebound into the net from close range.

Wendron continued to exploit the weakness of the visitors on the flank through Searle's penetrating runs and crosses, but there wasn't to be the reward of a winning goal as the final touch eluded them.

Wendron will now have to focus on the Cornwall Senior Cup on Saturday and a visit to one of the competition favourites Bodmin Town.

"This will be a difficult match for us," said Webber. "If there is to be any upset they will have to play pretty badly and we will have to give our best performance of the season.

"At this moment in time I am unsure of who we will have available. By Wednesday or Thursday I will probably know, but even then it could still change."

Wendron: B Scoffin, M Newberry, J Till, A Munro, P Maclean, M Pope, S Hodson, J Searle, M McIlroy, M O'Neill, G Hobbs. Subs: A Toy, S Toy, D Toy, S Whitney.