The Richards brothers, Jordan and Dan, plundered five goals between them as St Day ruthlessly put a very young Penzance side to the sword in splendid late Autumn sunshine at Penlee Park.
The Magpies, with five under-18s in their starting line-up and a couple more on the bench, were three down within half an hour. Jordan Richards snaffled St Day’s first two goals before brother Dan set up Bailey Packenas for third. Just before the break, Jordan completed his hat-trick, stabbing the ball home from close range following a corner.
An explosive start to the second-half gave Penzance renewed hope. Kizzy Snowden fired home their first before a fine solo effort by Adam Lewis cut the arrears to just two goals in the 51st minute. James Butler, playing alongside younger brothers Tom and Ollie for the first time, was desperately unlucky not to reduce the deficit further just after the hour mark. His exhilarating burst through the heart of the visiting defence was concluded with a shot that smacked the base of Mikey Palmer’s right-hand post before trickling infuriatingly along the goal-line and to safely.
The Family Club: For the first time, since the Vercesis played together,
we have three brothers all on the same team today.
Lining up for the reserves against St Day Reserves are Tom, Ollie and James Butler.
Following a frantic goalmouth scramble, Dan Richards blasted home from close range fifteen minutes from time. After he had been unceremoniously clattered by Penzance keeper Adrian Murley just outside the box, the prolific striker then doubled his personal tally with an impressive free-kick just before full-time.
“I felt the first half was nowhere near the standard we needed to be collectively and we deserved to lose,” conceded Penzance joint manager Darren Smith. “We gave ourselves a mountain to climb and it was always going be tough to come back into the game. The passing, movement and work rate in the second half, however, was a lot better. Had JB’s effort gone in for potentially our third goal, I feel we could have got something, but having to push for a goal meant we were gambling slightly. Their fifth goal ultimately killed us and put the game out of sight unfortunately.”
Penzance: Adrian Murley, Ashley Mead, Lewis Hitchens, Steve Miller, Henry Ramsay (Tom Butler 70), Ewan Trevains (Ryan Townson 46), James Butler (Bernardo Braga 77), Ollie Butler, Joe Gordon, Kizzy Snowden (Connor Thomas 79), Adam Lewis. Unused sub: Charlie Reynolds
St Day: Mikey Palmer, Tim Duffy, Luke Fairful, Ben Williams, Craig Young, Joe Crossman, Jordan Richards, Cayden Tiddy, Dan Richards, Bailey Packenas, Matt Stephens. Subs: Harry Holcombe, John Wharton, Sunday Kuek, Nick Troon, Jordan Tiddy
Referee: Luke Wilkes
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