By Robbie Morris and Garry Wood at The Mill

WESTERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

Torpoint Athletic 2 Street 1

THE Point got their 2026/27 league campaign underway at The Mill on Saturday afternoon with a solid 2-1 victory over Street.

The hosts took a very early lead in the first three minutes as an interchange of passes between Sam Pearson and Harry Probyn ended with the latter firing home past visiting goalkeeper Tommy Skidmore. This was Probyn’s first goal for Torpoint on his debut having joined over the summer from league rivals St Blazey.

Twenty minutes later the hosts doubled their lead as good build-up play from the midfield through Elliott Crawford, Joe Rapson and Probyn ended with Joe Rapson smashing Probyn’s cross home past Skidmore.

Just past the half-hour mark, it was nearly 3-0. Callum O’Brien won a defensive header on the halfway line and the ball fell to Gary Hird, who after outpacing a defender, saw his effort go just wide.

Soon after, Pearson won the ball and passed it to Hird who laid the ball through to Probyn whose effort was saved by the keeper’s feet. Rapson got to the loose ball first, but fired it just over the crossbar.

At this point it was one-way traffic and in the final minute of the first half O’Brien found Hird who passed the ball through to Probyn who again found Skidmore a tough nut to crack.

The second half was mainly a midfield battle with chances at a premium throughout for the 148 supporters in attendance.

In the final 20 minutes, the visitors started coming into the game and created their first real chance with 12 minutes remaining as sub Ashton Brown had an effort saved by James Morley’s feet.

In the fourth minute of stoppage time the Cobblers did manage a consolation. Jakob Dickens fired in a loose ball after his initial shot was parried by Morley, but the three points stayed in South East Cornwall.

Reflecting on the victory, manager Dean Cardew said: “It was nice to start the season with a win against a good Street team.

“The first game of the season always has a ‘cup final’ feel to it, and one which everyone obviously wants to win, but you’ve also got to remember there are 35 more league games to play afterwards, so you can’t get carried away with anything whether you win, lose or draw. But I thought our work-rate was really good and we didn’t stop working right up until the final whistle.”

The Point are back in action this midweek when they visit fellow Cornish outfit Newquay.

Cardew concluded: “We have another really tough game now on Wednesday night (7.30pm) at Mount Wise, so we have to make sure that we are prepared for that and the challenge they bring.”

TORPOINT ATHLETIC: James Morley; Dave Barker, Darren Hicks, Owen Haslam, Callum O’Brien, Elliott Crawford (capt – James Rowe, 71), Harry Probyn (Curtis Damerell, 85), Sam Pearson, Gary Hird (Tom Hensman, 79), Joe Rapson, Tom Payne. Subs not used: Sam Morgan, Ty Rowe (gk).

STREET: Tommy Skidmore; Callum Laird (capt), Mark Cornish, Jordan Hayman, Tom Stone, Archie Heyword (Riley Willis, 60), Kyle Strange (Jacob Shore, 60), Jakob Dickens, Cam Allen (Ashton Brown, 60), Eddie Townsend (Sonny Girling, 72), Theo Worth (Scott Laird, 72).

Torpoint Athletic man-of-the-match: Dave Barker.