Falmouth Town lose to Penzance in SW Peninsula League

Trevains 88’

Trudgeon 98’

Att: Approx 150.

Falmouth Town’s SW Peninsula League team entertained last season’s league cup winners, Penzance, in the first home game of their historic first-ever campaign at step 6 of the Non-League pyramid.

Falmouth, unfortunately, succumbed to two late goals in what was generally an even contest, where a draw would probably have been a fairer result.

Falmouth started with new signings Aaron Ibbotson, Rhys Carroll, Aaron Hicks and Taylor Packenas in a strong line-up, as they looked to bounce back from their opening day league defeat against Elburton Villa on Saturday.

In an electric start, Town hit the post in the first minute, having won a corner down the left.

Taylor Packenas swung the ball in, and a PZ defender deflected it onto his own post.

Town were playing with high energy, with Evan Tresidder in particular featuring with some tremendous pressing.

Falmouth were not letting PZ get into their stride at all.

However, PZ were looking dangerous when they got the ball down, and after 36 minutes, some great inter-passing resulted in a finish from Charlie Willis, who was excellent throughout, but it was adjudged to be offside.

Falmouth were still the better side in general play, but sometimes without the vital end product.

In 45 minutes, a great break forward from Aaron Hicks ended in a pass to Aaron Ibbotson, who had got up and down the pitch all evening in his role at right wing-back.

Ibbotson shot from the corner of the area and forced a great save from PZ keeper Harry Salmon, but he could only parry the ball back into the path of Ibbotson, who shot across the keeper again.

Salmon pulled off another fine save, and the score remained at 0-0 going into the half-time break.

The second half started in a similar fashion to the first, with Falmouth forcing a couple of corners.

On both occasions, Salmon was forced to punch the ball clear from under his own crossbar.

Aaron Ibbotson was looking lively going forward and was testing his opposite number, Penzance skipper Silas Sullivan, and drawing a series of fouls.

However, Penzance got more and more into the game and in 30 minutes, a period of pressure ended with a great double save from Fearn.

The game was looking like finishing goalless until, two minutes from time, Ewan Trevains picked the ball up around the halfway line, beat two players, advanced to the edge of the box and unleashed a fierce shot past Fearn.

It was Trevains again who capped a fine display by setting up Penzance’s second goal 10 minutes later with a clever pass over the top of the Falmouth defence, who had committed numbers forward in search of an equaliser.

Substitute Jacob Trudgeon latched on to the through ball and shot from the edge of the area, beating Fearn low to his right.

Between the two goals, Falmouth hit the woodwork again with a rasping shot from 30yds by Rhys Carroll, which rattled Salmon’s crossbar.

One performance of note was that of Josh Turner at the heart of the Penzance defence.

Throughout the game, he dealt with the threat of Davies and Tresidder superbly, and his distribution and ball carrying at times really took the pressure off the away team.

Falmouth can be pleased with their display against one of the sides who will be competing for promotion this season, and now look forward to visiting Sticker on 16th August for their next league game.

Falmouth Town: Ethan Fearn, Aaron Ibbotson, Kirk Davies, Scott Yendle, George Evans, Rhys Carroll, Tom Fisher, Aaron Hicks, Taylor Packenas, Evan Tresidder, Jak Davies.

Subs: James Henwood, Will Harding, Art Autumn, Connor Davey, Harry Hopkins.

Penzance: Harry Salmon, Archie Reynolds, Mark Vercesi, Sam Young, Josh Turner, Ewan Trevains, Josh Magin, Charlie Willis, Charlie Young, Wade Brown, Silas Sullivan©.

Subs: Rohan Bennetts, Jacob Trudgeon, James Butler, George Molcher, Ollie Butler.