THIS was yet another well-contested South West Peninsula League Division One (west) match, which thanks to a man-of-the-match performance from Pat Shaughnessy and four well-taken goals, Athletic won comfortably.

With next week’s Cornwall Senior Cup third round tie with local rivals Falmouth in mind, Penryn set about raising their game in anticipation for that game.

Athletic started brightly, in the hope of producing an early goal, with both Dale Band and Pete McLean going close. Shaughnessy then took a corner on the right and floated into the box where it was headed goalward by Pete Davey.

However, as the ball fell to Dominic Pullen, six yards out, he somehow missed a great chance by striking the ball over the bar.

As the visitors settled Mike Kempthorne shot wide and Paul Menhinick had an awkward header tipped over the bar by Steve Raven.

Hal Davis then picked up a booking for upending Kempthorne before Athletic made the breakthrough on 25 minutes. Davis played the ball to Shaughnessy, who was causing problems with his twisting runs. He burst towards goal and, as he made up ground, Pete McLean arrived to take over the attack by beating the last defender and rolling the ball into the goal from two yards out.

Mark Gusterson, who was struggling to cope with Shaughnessy and McLean on the left, was then booked for a rash challenge.

Band was next to test the Camelford defence when he cut through on-goal during a stage in the game when it looked like Penryn were going to turn their opponents over.

However, the second Athletic goal didn’t come until the stroke of half-time when the excellent Shaughnessy broke free and sent in a stinging shot which Josh Colwill did well to get a hand to and push the ball skyward. However, as the ball came down Gregg Hobbs was on hand to place a well-controlled header into the back of the net.

Hobbs then should have put the game beyond the Camels’ reach early in the second-half as he picked up the ball and ran in on goal but wastefully shot wide. This allowed the visitors to get back into the game in on 52 minutes as a routine free-kick by Paul Menhinick was hit with unexpected pace and accuracy which went to the left-hand side of the wall and flew into Raven’s far corner like a rocket.

If that was the launch the Camelford needed then Penryn came back with the perfect answer by hitting back within minutes. Player-manager Band weaved his way through the defence before placing an excellent shot past Colwill.

Camelford were now struggling to hold the home side’s attack but that all changed on 65 minutes when the referee reduced the home side to ten men. Athletic’s stocky forward Dominic Pullen raced onto a through-ball but Colwill was quicker off his line and got to the ball first. However, as he attempted to clear Pullen brushed into him knocking the keeper to the ground and was surprisingly shown red for the challenge.

However, Shaughnessy then set about putting the game beyond reach and with ten minutes to go he got to the by-line and, as Hobbs went to the near post in support, he played a quick pass into him which the striker just diverted into the far corner of Colwill’s goal.

Camelford kept on battling and two minutes later, following a free-kick, the ball was played to Gyles Reynolds who produced a bullet header which flew into the back of the Penryn goal. There were a few more nervy minutes for Athletic in the closing stages as Camelford pressed forward and had another goal disallowed for off-side but the home side hung on to a confidence boosting victory.