A goal right at the end of each half enabled Penzance to overcome a sturdy Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police team and progress to the quarter-finals of the League Cup.
After Penlee Park had paid its respects with a minute's silence for sadly departed legendary centre-half Freddie Phillips, the visitors made the more forceful start. Elliott Simson had a shot charged down, then Ben Aldous was inches away from connecting with a Saul Vanes centre, whipped over from the right. Penzance keeper Mikey Flores then saved well from Cole Harford.
The Magpies first threatened on the half hour mark, Chris Wearing saving well from both Curtis Smith and Charlie Young before a second rebound fell to Sam Young whose pile driver pole-axed brave defender Morgan Harford.
With a full strength squad available, home boss Mark Vercesi was afforded the rare luxury of being able to shuffle his pack. He changed both full-backs, Chris Wormington returning from injury to replace Archie Reynolds on the right, and James Butler coming in on the left enabling Silas Sullivan to push forward to midfield. The Vice Captain, having plundered six goals primarily from left back, was always likely to profit. Bundling a flicked-on corner over the line just before half-time, Sullivan edged Penzance ahead in the tie and himself a shot clear of Smith and Charlie Young in the race for the Magpies golden boot.
Unbeaten since August, Stoke Gabriel hit back hard in the second half. "They were on top. They had some really good spells of putting us under pressure with good chances," conceded Vercesi. "But they were flash chances, as I would call them. Across the face of goal with no one there to finish them. They did not get through us, and I was pleased with that."
With the Devonians pushed up in search of the elusive equaliser, Penzance wrapped up the victory deep into stoppage time. With a low shot cushioned just inside Wearing's right-hand post, Sam Young notched his second Penzance goal, and first at Penlee Park, to send the large crowd into delirium and his side into the last eight.
Penzance: Mikey Flores, Chris Wormington, James Butler (Jacob Trudgeon 63), Sam Young, Liam Andrew, Tyler Tonkin (captain), Curtis Smith (Jude Tripconey 86), Charlie Willis (Ollie Butler 82), Lewis Caspall, Charlie Young, Silas Sullivan. Unused subs: Archie Reynolds, Kameron Collins
Stoke Gabriel: Chris Wearing (captain), Tom Dunlop, Morgan Harford, Jordan Thomas, Lee Hildreth, Jamie Down, Saul Vanes, Sam Bishop, Ben Aldous, Cole Harford, Elliott Simson. Subs: Jed Roberts, Joe Aldous, Callum Childress, Finn Herbert
Referee: Paul Kempen
Assistants: Barry Raiker and Paul Barker
Attendance: 168
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