Wilson's header earns Lillywhites draw at Penzance

PENZANCE turned in an impressive performance in front of a crowd of 327 in their Peninsula League opener at Penlee Park on Tuesday night as they drew 1-1 with visiting AFC St Austell.

Josh Turner’s 18th minute opener gave Penzance a platform to dominate the first half and they might have been further ahead by the break.

But missed chances meant they ultimately had to settle for a point after Rubin Wilson equalised on 53 minutes for a St Austell side that got stronger as the game progressed.

Magpies boss Mark Vercesi said: “At 45 minutes it felt like we were comfortably the better and fitter team.

“But, as good teams do, they came back with a bit of a vengeance, and they turned it around second half, so a fair result I think.”

St Austell joint manager Chris Knight said: “I’d have bitten your hand off for a point at half-time to be honest, but gutted on the drive home that we haven’t won it, so same as Cheesy, I’ll take a point!

“Ironically first two minutes we were good, pinned them in and I thought here we go, but from there they were on top, first to everything and pressed the life out of us which we knew was coming but found hard to stop.

“I thought we looked shell-shocked and we were delighted to get to half-time where we could have a sort out.”

He went on: “Second half was night and day, all you want from your team in that situation is a reaction and we got one.

“We were excellent and I thought we should have nicked it. Rubin, who struggled first half mostly as we didn’t support him enough, showed his class and took his goal brilliantly and could have won it really with his shot which for all the world I thought was in.

“Overall it was an enjoyable night, a great old Cornish football ground and something I missed when we were in the Western League.

“It felt like a proper old school Cornish league game. Fair play to them, they are a club on the up.”

The Magpies were first to threaten, Turner outstripping the visiting defence in just the fourth minute, but pulling his shot just beyond Morgan Coxhead’s far post.

The Lillywhites hit back, with Kieron Bishop seeing a low drive deflected wide for a corner.

But Turner, prolific in pre-season in an unaccustomed position up front, made no mistake when he next found himself in on goal, skipping round Olly Brokenshire and Martyn Duff before firing home.

“It was a fantastic finish – he has got that in his locker,” purred player/manager Vercesi.

Charlie Willis, twice, and Andreas Calleja-Stayne both went close as a the buoyant Magpies dominated the first half.

But St Austell hit back straight after the break, summer signing Wilson ghosting on to Duff’s cross from the left to head home.

Vercesi said: “It was very sloppy defending all round. You take your eye off the ball for a second against a good team, and you get punished.”

In the space of five minutes, both sides lost key players to injury. For Penzance, Mark Richards retired with a dislocated shoulder, to be replaced by Ben Palmer, whose own pre-season had been limited to five minutes by an ankle injury in the opener at Newquay.

Then St Austell right wing-back Kyle Marks was stretchered off with a serious knee ligament injury which threatens to end his season after two games. He was replaced by Matt Searle, who is dual-signed with Newquay.

Knight added: “Obviously the night was tarnished with the Marksy’s injury. I’m sad to say it looks a bad one.

“He’s a real character for us so we will rally around him and hope it isn’t as bad as feared.”

St Austell came closest to winning it when Wilson pounced on a defensive slip but his shot flew inches wide of Will Trenoweth’s left hand post.

PENZANCE: Will Trenoweth; Josh Otto, Mark Vercesi, Mark Richards (Ben Palmer, 63), Silas Sullivan (capt), Andreas Calleja-Stayne, Charlie Willis (George Molcher, 83), Lewis Caspall, Ewan Trevains, Steve Burt (James Butler, 83), Josh Turner (Wade Brown, 73). Sub not used: Jacob Trudgeon.

ST AUSTELL: Morgan Coxhead; Kyle Marks (Matt Searle, 68), Martyn Duff, Noah Teagle, Olly Brokenshire, James Ward, Neil Slateford (capt), Freddie Kemp, Rubin Wilson, Callum McGhee (Callum Bassett, 83), Kieran Bishop (Alfie Flack, 73). Sub not used: Aaron Dilley.

Attendance: 327.