The Magpies pulled off an unforgettable late turnaround to snatch a dramatic 3-2 victory over Torridgeside, sealing a place in a Cup semi-final for the first time in 14 years writes James Hall...
Penzance looked more dangerous, with Curtis Smith testing the keeper in the first half and later denied one-on-one due to a bobbling pitch. Both goalkeepers shone after the break, Torridgeside’s Aiden Craker stopping Smith from close range before saving Charlie Young’s curling effort. Kyle Paine finally broke the deadlock in the 65th minute, firing past Mikey Flores from a narrowing angle after a tidy move down the right. The tie then appeared out of Penzance’s reach when George Shapland blasted home a second at the far post after the hosts had failed to clear their lines.
With time running out, the Magpies kept pushing. They thought they had one back in the 90th when a goalmouth scramble saw the ball bundled in, only for the offside flag to cut celebrations short. But seconds later, fortune turned their way as a Torridgeside defender — under pressure from Charlie Young — bundled the ball into his own net.
In the 94th minute, chaos erupted at Penlee Park. A defensive mistake saw substitute Jacob Trudgeon pounce, rounding the stranded keeper before smashing home the equaliser. Just two minutes later, dreams became reality. Charlie Willis played a perfect ball through to Trudgeon again. His first touch was heavy, but he recovered to curl in a composed finish, sparking wild celebrations. Players and coaching staff poured onto the pitch as Penzance completed a breathtaking comeback to book their place in the semi-finals, cementing credibility as true contenders for the trophy.
Jacob Trudgeon's injury time winner, as captured by AJ Munro (Twitter/X @ajmunro1607)
“Wow. Never have I been involved in a game like that,” commented manager Mark Vercesi. “For 60 minutes there was only one winner, but their two goals killed us and we look finished. But we found that extra spark in added on time. Cometh the man. Cometh Jacob Trudgeon!”
Full interview with Penzance Manager, Mark Vercesi.
Penzance: Mikey FLORES, Archie REYNOLDS (Ewan TREVAINS 83’), Kam COLLINS (Jacob TRUDGEON 69’), Sam YOUNG, Chris WORMINGTON, Josh STOREY, Curtis SMITH, Charlie WILLIS, Charlie YOUNG, Lewis CASPALL, Silas SULLIVAN (c)
Unused subs: Will TRENOWETH, Ollie BUTLER, Mark VERCESI.
Torridgeside: Aiden CRAKER, Archie HOLLOWAY, Callum HUTCHINGS, Taren STACEY, Sam PADDON, Josh PHILLIPS (c), George SHAPLAND, Rory PAINE, Josh PARSONS, Kyle PAINE.
Subs: Shaun COPP, Ben WEIR.
Referee: Scott Coutts
Assistants: Paul Barker, Barry Raiker
Attendance: 192
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