St Newlyn East stretched their unbeaten run in the St Piran League to 9 games with a close fought win by a solitary Ross London penalty on 72 minutes.
Despite the heavy rain before the match, the Mount Wise playing surface was in good condition and the home side were able to pass the ball neatly around a hard-working Newlyn side who were missing six of their usual outfield squad due to an ever growing injury list and work commitments.
It was the Saints who had the first real meaningful strike on target after 13 minutes when top marksman Ross London hit a low shot that Peters in the Newquay goal had to tip away for a Newlyn corner. Simon Baulch then powerfully headed over the Newquay crossbar from a free kick.
Owen London – starting his first match for over a month – was next to worry the home defence, dancing past the full back before flashing a cross into the goal area that the on-rushing Jay Manning was just inches away from converting.
The younger London brother again beat his marker to find his sibling and he in turn pulled the back for the onrushing Russell Brooker to seemingly have a free shot on goal after 30 minutes but as Brooker shot he was brought down from behind for what seemed to be a stonewall penalty only for the referee to award a goal kick much to Newlyn’s astonishment.
Newquay were still comfortable in possession but had not managed a single effort on target so far, Newlyn again went close on 35 minutes – a Brooker free kick from the left wing was headed wide across the face of the goal by Dan Ball.
Just after the half time interval Newlyn replaced Ball with Max Smith and soon after this thought they had broken the deadlock when Owen London crossed for Manning who bundled the ball home only for it to be ruled out by a raised linesman’s flag for offside.
A cynical foul from a Newquay player on Jake Watson as he was breaking free saw the referee produce a yellow card before Watson then saw his shot deflected wide for another Newlyn corner. Another of these corners saw the ball partially cleared to Manning and his cross back into the area was met by Ross London but he could not keep his header on target.
Ross London smashed another shot from distance wide of the post before a Newquay free kick also went wide at the other end on 70 minutes.
Two minutes later and Newlyn were ahead. Dan Woodgate pushed the ball just in front of the defender and was quickest to the ball before being clumsily brought down for a penalty. Ross London picked up the ball and calmly scored, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.
As the game drew closer to full time its moment of controversy duly arrived. Dan Carne ghosted past two Newlyn players and drove into the penalty area where Simon Baulch came to close him down. As Carne got close to Baulch he blatantly threw himself to the ground only for the referee to inexplicably point to the penalty spot much to the amazement of the Newlyn players and supporters. However “cometh the hour, cometh the man” and Nathan Prentice produced a match winning save from the spot-kick, diving to his right to save the kick and ensure his team left with all three points.
Newquay Osteopaths Man of the Match: Sean Kinsella
Referee: David Becker