PENZANCE 1, CAMELFORD 1

Penzance and Camelford fought out an entertaining draw at Penlee Park, both sides managing to put together some good moves on a heavy surface.

The Magpies welcomed back Mark Vercesi and Charlie Willis, but were rocked by the withdrawal of captain Tyler Tonkin during the warm-up. A decision to invite Ewan Trevains along for first team experience following the Reserve side's postponement was therefore fully vindicated, the teenager's name being hastily added to the team sheet.

Bolstered by the temporary return of a former starlet of their own, Ed Harrison now plying his trade for Tavistock in the Southern League, Camelford bossed the early stages with Ross Beare forcing Will Trenoweth into a good save. Penzance first threatened when Silas Sullivan, captain in the absence of Tonkin, set up Jacob Trudgeon to fire just over. The wide man returned the favour, crossing for Sullivan to stretch Josh Colwill into a fine save. The Camelford keeper could not however deal with the pace of a vicious shot after half an hour, Trudgeon's angled drive squirming over the line.

The Magpies turned up two glorious opportunities to double the lead straight after the restart, Willis firing over after being set up by Ollie Butler, then Sullivan pulling a shot just wide. Thereafter, Camelford dominated and levelled when Brooklyn Wilkins converted a penalty after Vercesi fouled fellow veteran Mark Gusterson.

As substitutes for Kam Collins and Trudgeon respectively, Trevains and Daniel May, son of former Magpie Jowan, were handed their debuts as Penzance withstood intense Camelford pressure, and the sin-binning of Ollie Butler, to eke out a point.

Congratulations to Ewan Trevains and Daniel May who both made their first team debuts.

“It was a battling performance,” said Penzance manager Ashley Waters. “I'm sure Camelford will be disappointed not to take the three points. However, for ourselves, it shows improvement in the parts of the game that are often forgotten. It wasn't pretty, but what we lacked in football the boys made up for with passion, commitment and work rate. It showed a stubborn side to this much improved group of players who kept going to the end.”

MAN OF THE MATCH. As well as having to take over as captain at the last minute due to injury to Tyler Tonkin, Silas Sullivan was also honoured by receiving today's Cape Cornwall Man of the Match award. He receives his prize from Director of Football, Craig Nicholls.

Penzance: Will Trenoweth, Archie Reynolds, Alfie Turner, Ollie Butler, Mark Vercesi, Silas Sullivan, Jacob Trudgeon (Daniel May 78), Kam Collins (Ewan Trevains 62), Charlie Willis, James Butler, Rolandos Samnauskas. Unused subs: Ashley Mead, Charlie Palmer, Gareth Ireson-Ward

Camelford: Josh Colwill, Tom Crowe, Jack Chafer, Charlie Hambly, Sam Wade, Ed Harrison, Ross Beare (Eli Evans 67), Dan Metherall, Sam Watts (Olly Taylor 70), Mark Gusterson, Brooklyn Wilkins. Unused sub: Phil Brown

Referee: Nigel D’Arcy

Assistants: Alan Smith, Stuart Bowden

Attendance: 117

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