After a disjointed season interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, it was wonderful to see competitive local football resume in the first round of games in the Kernow Stone St. Piran League West Cup competition, writes Brian Fisher.
On a poignant day with the funeral of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, the game was moved to a 12:45pm kick off as a mark of respect, with players wearing black armbands and holding a minutes silence before the game got underway.
The match at Underlane was played under bright sunshine and the surface looked in great condition.
Wendron fielded a very young side, with the majority of the side between the age of 18-20, as a building exercise for next seasons full league campaign, against an experienced Perranwell side.
Wendron started lively and, in the first minute, had a free kick deflected narrowly wide.
It was Perranwell who thought they had struck first, however, when on seven minutes a corner was partially cleared to the edge of the box where Tom Fisher took a touch and fired a shot at goal which was then backheeled into the Wendron net by Dave Standing, only for the celebrations to be cut short by a very tight offside decision.
This decision spurred Wendron into life and their short pass and move game, a consistent tactic throughout the match, caused Perranwell problems.
After a series of three consecutive corners by Wendron, the ball was eventually cleared long by the Perranwell defence, however, with two clinical passes, Wendron found Max Bowden clear of the static defence and as the Perranwell keeper narrowed the angle, Bowden calmly bent the ball into the far corner of the net.
The ever-encroaching wave after wave of attacks from Wendron once again found Sam Buckley unmarked as he bore down on goal, only for two defenders to bring him down just outside the box and bring the first card of the game.
Unfortunately, the free kick was fired over by Bowden, but the visitors relief was short lived when an effort from Buckley was struck from 18 yards straight at the Perranwell keeper Harry Ashton who spilt the ball and saw it roll over the goal line for number two.
The half-time team talk brought Perranwell out strongly and once again they had the ball in the back of the net, however, this time there was no doubt about the offside decision.
Both teams had a couple of half chances, with Buckley going close again and Fisher at the other end shooting narrowly over from the edge of the box.
The visitors got back into the game on 64 minutes when a corner was met by 6’6” centre half Phil Rees and Standing was on hand to poke the ball home from a yard out to set up a rousing last quarter of the game.
The home side made it 3-1 when a ball was partially cleared only to find Bailey Packenas with plenty of time on the edge of the box to pick his spot and stroke the ball into the net.
Perranwell were not done yet, firstly a chest down from Matt Rose in the Wendron area was fired just wide by Fisher and then, with 10 minutes remaining, a ball across the penalty area by James Rowberry looked to have been cleared at the far post but the referee adjudged the Wendron defender to have used his body to stop Matt Lane reaching the ball, resulting in a penalty.
Lachlan Brace stepped up and struck it well but too close to the keeper who stuck up a hand to push the ball onto the crossbar and eventually cleared.
The game was eventually put to bed when Packenas picked the ball up midway into the Perranwell half and was allowed to advance unchallenged to the edge of the box, where he once again picked his corner to kill the game off.
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