CLEAR the air talks and two new signings helped Port get back to winning ways in the Carlsberg South West Peninsula League Division One West following two straight losses.

Camelford were brushed aside in this encounter as the Fishermen aimed to keep pace with rivals Penzance at the top of the table.

Following last week’s loss to Newquay, manager Gary Marks held a meeting with the players after training on Wednesday to see if they could find a solution to reverse their slump in form. Two new faces were also brought into the club including Penzance’s striker Stuart Reynolds. Defender Huw Howlett went in the opposite direction.

“It was nice to get back to winning ways,” said Marks. “It is hard to remember the last time the club had back to back losses and it started to get to us a little. We had a good meeting last week after training and the players have responded on the pitch.”

“It was a meeting between the players and management just to see where we were going wrong.”

The weekend’s match also saw the return of Darren Burchell to the side, who missed the two previous losses due to injury. While some might point to his return to the starting eleven and the subsequent win as a coincidence his contribution to this match would suggest not.

The midfielder put in a man-of-the- match performance, opening the scoring and creating numerous chances for his teammates. His opening goal came on 13 minutes when Jamie Thirkle broke down the right and crossed the ball in. It fell to Burchell who, from 25 yards out, smashed a volley goalwards which hit the back of the net before the ‘keeper could move.

Camelford could have been level moments later when one of their attackers latched onto a throughball but Burrows was quickly off his line and the striker hit the ball straight at him.

New signing Reynolds then linked up well with Josh Kemp on the edge of the box before Kemp fired a shot wide.

In confident mood Port now pressed forward and were 2-0 up when Burchell turned provider. He picked up the ball and crossed to the far post where Jamie Burr headed a simple chance past the ‘keeper.

Burr then provided some heroics at the back when he put in a last-ditch tackle to prevent what would have been a certain goal. At this stage Camelford were still in the game but Port were pushing forward looking to kill the match off with a third goal before the break. Thirkle went closest when he turned and shot from six yards out but his effort rebounded of the bar. Kemp was then tripped on the edge of the area, just before the interval, but Burchell could only fire the free-kick wide of goal. However, Port did not have to wait long in the second-half to put the game beyond the visitors. Reynolds was the instigator picking up the ball and playing in Kevin Lawrence who took the ball round the ‘keeper before firing in from an acute angle.

With the match won Burchell and Williams were then substituted for Mike Vains and Steve Warr. However, the move did not halt as Camelford then gifted the home side a fourth.

The ‘keeper misjudges the flight of a corner from Thirkle and the ball fell to Bradd at the far post who headed home.

Thirkle then went close to adding a fifth when he shot wide before Vains, another new signing, hit the post with a good effort. However the performance would not have been complete with out a goal from new signing Reynolds, who had a good game up front. His opportunity came when Brown in the camelford defence handled in the area – allowing Reynolds to score from the spot.

Moments later Reynolds could have got another in open play when he picked up the ball took it past a defender before firing high and wide.

In the closing stages Camelford did manage to pull a goal back themselves from the penalty spot when a Port defender handled in the area.