Match Report: Wadebridge Town 2 v 0 Penzance

Nice to get back to back wins at home. Historically we’ve done better away from Bodieve since I became manager and we realise we need to be better at home.

That’s 12 points from 12 now and whilst I’m not getting carried away, I’m quite certain we’ve not won 4 on the spin at home in my time at the club.

Something to build on.

WADEBRIDGE  (2)   2     Smale 27’   Beare 43’

PENZANCE  (0)  0

ATT :  63

A comfortable win in the end for the Bridgers against a well organised Penzance team who defended admirabley with numbers behind the ball but always had a threat on the break.

The hosts started on the front foot with captain Tom Strike having his header from a corner plucked out the top corner by visiting keeper Micky Flores after 5 minutes. After 14’ a cross field pass from Jacob Smale out wide right to Jack Rapsey saw him whip a cross behind the defence to the far post but Matt Lloyd half volleyed over the bar on the stretch. A minute later a Charlie Willis cross saw Lloyd head the ball down but straight at Flores. At the other end Rolandas Samnauskas shot over the bar from the edge of the area on 17’.

After 24 minutes a great step over from Rapsey saw him cut inside from the left to feed Smale and his strong run through the middle was blocked by Flores rushing off his line to block.

⚽️ The hosts took the lead after 27 minutes when a sharp turn and defence splitting pass from Rapsey saw Sam Gerken drill a cross in to Lloyd and as he was about to shoot he was brought down but referee Mr Tom Anstice-Mitchell played some excellent advantage to allow Smale to smash home the loose ball from 10 yards.

Silus Sullivan was having a busy game at the back for the Magpies being accidentally caught in the head by a high foot from Rapsey before minutes later getting in a tangle on the floor with Lloyd and the visitors arguing that he deserved more than the yellow card received which the visitors bench continued the grievance at the half time whistle with the referee.

Alex Ralph broke clear on the right in a rare Penzance attack but his shot from an angle had the sting taken out of it by Rob Roseveare on the way to claiming his second clean sheet in 4 days and the danger was cleared by Ewan Reeves and Gerken.

⚽️⚽️ Matters were made worse for the visitors when Wadebridge doubled their lead on 43’ minutes when an excellent 25 yard free kick from Strike cannoned back off the crossbar with the ball falling to Rapsey who cushioned a pass into the path of Ross Beare who shot low into the net from 10 yards. There was just time for Flores to make a diving save to his left right on half time from a Rapsey shot from the edge of the area.

The 2nd half lacked the intensity of the end to end 1st half with the Bridgers trying to impose their passing game on the visitors particularly down the right with overlapping attacking right full back Gerken with Tom Harris working hard to do the same on the left without the Bridgers creating too many opportunities against the hard working defence in which Sullivan and Tyler Tonkin were working overtime getting a block or a foot in.

The hosts finally created a chance on the hour mark when Rapsey flicked a header on from Rosevears big kick upfield for Willis to run on to and cut a cross back but the lively Smale shot over the bar from 15 yards.

On 68’ Rapsey flicked the ball over Sullivans head with his right foot to hit a near post volley with his left that was well beaten out by the reflexes of Flores and on 73’ a strong run past 3 defenders by Morgan Vallejo ended with his powerful shot going inches wide of the far post with Flores beaten.

The Bridgers utilised all of their subs bench bringing on all 5 substitutes from the 65th minute onwards and it altered the flow of the game somewhat for the hosts with Penzance going on to have their best spell of the match in the last 15 minutes forcing a few corners that were cleared by experienced defender and Cornish legend Steve Simmonds marshalling the home backline with his superb positional play.

On 84’ Samnauskas blasted over at the far post when well placed and the hard working Sullivan headed just over the bar from yet another corner and the chance of any consolation goal was gone as the hosts went on to see out injury time fairly comfortably without any late chances at either end of note for a welcome 3 points to maintain their 4th position in the table with 5 wins from their opening 7 matches and Penzance travelling back down west with their heads held high from a hard working performance that Macca, Adrian and Nicksy will take plenty of positives from I would have thought, a well organised, hard to break down and competitive team on the day.