First half defensive errors cost the Magpies dearly as they slipped to a disappointing defeat at home to St Dennis in searing temperatures at Penlee Park.
With three players away at the Boardmasters Festival in Newquay, three injured and another attending a wedding, the resources available to managers John MacCallum, Adrian Ferrell and Craig Nicholls were again seriously depleted. Max Everard, Silas Sullivan and Alfie Turner all returned to the starting line-up whilst Rocco Hill, a late substitute against Mullion, was handed a first start.
The performance of the tall young striker was undoubtedly the high point of an otherwise frustrating afternoon. Hill’s willingness to take on his marker, with considerable success, pulled the St Dennis defence this way and that, and carved numerous openings in a first half. However, all but one were squandered whilst, by contrast, St Dennis clinically punished two defensive errors to build a healthy lead. Firstly, after the home defence had conceded the ball cheaply deep in their own half, Ryan Oxley burst through to fire home. Then Mikey Flores was deceived by the trajectory and bounce of a speculative Mike Davies poke from thirty yard out, and let the ball squirm from his grasp into the net.
Set up by Tyler Dayus, Jacob Trudgeon ripped a fine shot into the far bottom corner to give the Magpies hope just before the break. But, despite the introduction of new striker Obinna Abaku who has moved to the area from Yorkshire, the desired second half onslaught never materialised.
A skilful dribble through the St Dennis defence and a shot that skimmed the post by Darryl Richards was about as good as it got, and the visitors effectively sealed victory when Davies tucked home a penalty, awarded for handball, in the 55th minute.
Play was interrupted by frequent drinks breaks – essential of course in the extreme heat, but it did nothing to help Penzance create any kind of rhythm. Trudgeon saw a shot cleared off the line and Haider Fadli, who had dashed down from the Reserves match against Newlyn Non-Athletico to come on as a late substitute for Turner, had a glorious chance to reduce the arrears in injury-time. Having created himself an opening with some deft trickery, the young forward pulled his shot wide of a gaping goal to neatly sum an afternoon best forgotten for the Magpies.
Penzance: Mikey Flores, Archie Reynolds, Tyler Dayus, Ryan Andrew, Tyler Tonkin (captain) (Robertas Samnauskas 72), Alfie Turner (Haider Fadli 75), Jacob Trudgeon, Max Everard, Silas Sullivan (Obinna Abaku 45), Darryl Richards, Rocco Hill. Unused sub: Will Trenoweth
St Dennis: Ryan Holland, Logan Capeling, Ash Taylor, Ross Maynard, David Rickard (captain), Jake McLean, Martin Sleeman, Josh Pope, Ryan Oxley, Mikey Davies, Phil Wearing. Subs: Harry Cranstone, Lee Rickard, Joel Cockings, Mark Rowe
Referee: Josh Eyre
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