A SUPERB strike from Phil Cattran sent Helston Athletic on their way to their 20th consecutive South West Peninsula League Premier West victory, winning 1-0 at Mousehole on Friday night.

Cattran’s superb dipping effort from distance in the 18th minute proved to be the difference as Helston moved five points clear at the top of the division and 13 clear of the third-placed Seagulls.

Helston centre-back Ryan Beattie had the first chance of the game in the sixth minute, driving narrowly wide of the left post after being given space to shoot on the edge of the box.

Mousehole’s first of few first-half chances fell to Hayden Turner in the 13th minute, with his effort providing little trouble for Blues ‘keeper Jason Robertson.

Helston went up the other end immediately thanks to Beattie, who turned provider with his long ball finding Tucker. The forward fired at goal but goalkeeper Cory Harvey raced out of his box to block the strike, with Cattran firing wide from the rebound.

The Blues had enjoyed a dominant opening quarter of an hour but could not translate it to the scoreboard, with a ball being headed down to Neil Slateford ten yards out, only for the winger to be denied by a superb last-ditch block.

But the league leaders made their dominance count in the 18th minute with a simple but stunning goal. Robertson’s long ball forward sat up nicely for Cattran to hit a wonderful dipping shot over Harvey from almost 30 yards.

Mousehole began to get a spell of possession later in the half but could not fashion a shot on goal, until Amara Bakayoko managed to send a shot inches over Robertson’s crossbar seven minutes before the break, although the ‘keeper may well have had it covered.

Beattie was involved again before the break, rising at the back post to head Matt Bye’s free kick wide from six yards, before the Seagulls finally gave the visiting defence something to think about when one shot clipped the side netting, before Jamie Devine headed wide shortly before half-time.

The hosts enjoyed a brighter start to the second half but only had Lezion Cela’s glanced header wide from Rheiss McClean’s free kick to show for it.

That theme would continue throughout the half with the Seagulls having plenty of possession in Blues territory, but Robertson was largely left with little other than catching practice in the Helston goal.

A largely uneventful second period livened up with ten minutes to go when Robertson hauled Turner to the floor outside his box. The home side were calling for a red card to be shown but Robertson received a booking.

Jonny Ludlam, fresh from the bench in stoppage time in place of Cela, promptly returned to the sidelines two minutes later after being sent to the sin bin in virtually the final action of the game.

Mousehole: C Harvey, B Curtis, J Devine, M Richards, S Burt (B Harding 79), P Sousa, R McClean (G Gabriel 68), T Mitchell, H Turner, A Bakyoko, L Cela (J Ludlam 90+3). Subs (unused): T Hands, J Butler.

Helston: J Robertson, E Timmons, E Harrison, R Beattie, D Mulready, O Brokenshire, N Slateford, M Bye, B Tucker, M Goldsworthy (S Jenkin 79), P Cattran (L Short 86). Subs (unused): A Williams, K Leathley, S Oliver.