Wendron United 0, St Dennis 3

Wendron United’s three-month unbeaten run in the South West Peninsula League Division 1 West came to a shuddering halt at the hands of St Dennis on Saturday.

The home side dominanted for long spells throughout the game, but Jacob Rowe put the Saints in front on the stroke of half-time, before Carl Rickard struck twice in the second half to put the result beyond doubt.

Wendron's last league defeat had come 87 days earlier in a 3-2 loss at Penzance on October 17.

Wendron got off to a strong start and could have been in front inside ten minutes when Scott Palmer met Chris Mulroy’s cross at the near post but St Dennis ‘keeper Ryan Holland saved the effort.

The Saints were then a post’s width from leading four minutes later in their first real attack, with Rickard striking the base of the post with an effort on the slide inside the box.

But the hosts entered a period of dominance with Palmer firing over before Yeshe Briar escaped the defence and prepared to shoot, with only a superb covering tackle from Lee Rickard keeping the score level.

Briar and Cameron Wheat saw one shot each thwarted by more good defensive blocks, before Joe Souch did the same at the other end when Rickard looked destined to score.

But the visitors took the lead just before half-time when the unmarked Rowe found himself free to slot past Stedman from six yards.

The hosts started the second half brightly with Mulroy testing Holland from the edge of the box.

But it was 2-0 before long with Rickard doubling his side’s lead against the run of play, slotting into an empty net after Dron ‘keeper Dan Stedman misjudged a long ball.

Things went from bad to worse on the hour when Rickard made it three with the goal of the day, sending a wonderful curling shot out of Stedman’s reach from the edge of the box.

It just wasn’t to be Wendron’s day in front of goal, with Holland on hand to deny Wheat once again from six yards after the young forward had got on the end of Finn Robinson’s cross.

Even a deserved consolation was going to be too much for the home side to ask for. Wheat had another opportunity to put one past Holland in the final few minutes, but the visiting ‘keeper came out on top once again to deny the Wendron man.

Wendron: D Stedman, J Souch, H Fuller (F Robinson HT), S Humphries, J Webb, B Ringrose, C Mulroy, T Martin, S Palmer (T Milligan 65), Y Briar (R Jarvis HT), C Wheat

St Dennis: R Holland, A Sincock, S Brown, L Rickard, M Rowe, R Hawke, T Trudgian, A Beresford, J Rowe, C Rickard, P Robertson. Subs: C Bird, M Sleeman, D Rickard, B Lowe.

Wendron’s next match is at Plymouth Marjon in the SWPL Division 1 West on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).