South West Peninsula League Premier West

Penzance 5 Helston Athletic 1

PENZANCE recorded a first win of the season after a devastating first half performance blowing away a young Helston side under the newly-installed LED floodlights at Penlee Park on Tuesday night.

Josh Turner and Ben Palmer helped themselves to a brace each with Charlie Willis also getting on the scoresheet.

Helston, making a first visit since January 2020, were under the cosh from the third minute when Piran Jones was called on to rush off his line to deny Jacob Trudgeon, played in by a precise Willis through-ball.

The reprieve was temporary, however, Turner running on to a Lewis Caspall pass and skilfully rounding the keeper to put the Magpies ahead on the quarter-hour.

From a fabulous Silas Sullivan-Bailey cross, Palmer glanced a header just wide.

But the second goal arrived in the 20th minute when Trudgeon hared clear down the right to serve up Turner his second on a plate.

Palmer then powered home a header from a James Butler corner before Willis diverted in a low Caspall centre.

So 4-0 at the break, but it really should have been more, with Turner missing a sitter as well as seeing another header well saved by Jones.

Helston rallied strongly after the turnaround. Set up by Blake Gordon-Dunn, captain Finn Costa fashioned himself an opening with some nimble footwork to temporarily reduce the arrears.

But, after 57 minutes, Palmer despatched a powerful low shot from 25 yards out to chalk up his first brace for the Magpies.

With the game effectively won, manager Mark Vercesi indulged himself with a quintuple substitution just after the hour mark.

There were no additions to the score, though three of the new arrivals went close – Steve Burt fizzing a powerful left-footer just over the bar, and Wade Brown and Charlie Young both being denied by excellent Jones saves.

Vercesi said: “We felt a bit of pressure having played two and not won one, so it is nice to get that win.

“We were 4-0 up at half-time – it should have been five. A really good performance, but unfortunately again we’ve only done 45 minutes.”

Penzance: Harry Salmon, George Molcher (Steve Burt 62), Ben Palmer (Archie Reynolds 62), Jacob Trudgeon, Silas Sullivan-Bailey, Andreas Calleja-Stayne (Hayden Waters 62), Charlie Willis, James Butler (Charlie Young 62), Ewan Trevains, Lewis Caspall, Josh Turner (Brown 62).

Goals: Josh Turner 2 (15, 20), Ben Palmer 2 (28, 57), Charlie Willis (38).

Helston: Piran Jones, Micah Davy, Calum Knowles, Freddie Walter (Henry Chappell 58), Sam Fisher (Ben Wills-Mack 58), Sam Pallett (Blake Gordon-Dunn 38), Rocco Williams, Hayden Black, Finn Costa, Harry Morton (Toby Griggs 73), Josh Daniel (Osiah Spelman 66).

Goal: Finn Costa (47).

Referee: Darren Gay.

Assistants: Justin Moses, Barry Raiker.

Attendance: 267.