MOUSEHOLE AFC 3-0 BRISTOL MANOR FARM: THE MOWDOG'S INDEPENDENT REPORT + 26 SCREENSHOTS WITH CAPTIONS...

 Late Surge By Seagulls Leaves Manor Farm Grounded…

Mousehole AFC 3-0 Bristol Manor Farm

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

Manor Farm created a number of goal chances during this match, played at Trungle Parc, which had recovered from a drizzly morning and had subsequently turned into a rather unexpectedly sunny stadium. Sadly for the guests, some of whom I met during the morning on the seafront at Portreath, none of their opportunities were taken, as the goal-frame, a remarkable goal-line clearance and one awkward save by home ‘keeper Ollie Chenoweth kept the encounter scoreless until about ten minutes from the end. 

The Seagulls had begun to improve from a workmanlike, if unproductive opening 70 minutes or so, finally getting some joy on their left offensive flank through the overlapping gallops of Jordan Hackett. However, Hayden Turner’s strike was nullified by an interesting offside decision, a chance created by an astute Tallan Mitchell pass which had sliced through the Farm defence like a hot knife through Rodda’s ice-cream.

Three goals conceded in the closing minutes of a keen contest must have devastated Bristol, who would likely have been disappointed with even one point. However, under such circumstances, the decent manner in which Farm midfielder and skipper Jamie Adams responded to being red-carded at 0-2, is to be applauded. No histrionics, no dispute…

Those missed chances by Bristol…

Farm had drive, pace and method, which forced Mousehole to defend desperately at times, although it has to said that Seagull Dan Apantaku excelled himself throughout the match with a series of blocks which were as crucial as they were bruising. He would leave the game hurt, to be replaced in the rearguard by Jack Calver, who did not disappoint, alongside skipper Max Hill and the busy Mo Konte.

Before the break, Chenoweth collected a low Josh Bissett drive easily, before a contested Louis Britton header bounced away from the crossbeam and the same player had another header punched from his goal-line by Chenoweth. Soon, a low Britton shot flew straight at companion George Dowling whose reactive drive looked to going into the net, until Konte somehow contorted his torso, as if he was attempting to shake a hermit crab from his foot but he managed to hack the ball clear.

BRITTON'S SHOT...

...IS DIVERTED BY DOWLING...

...BUT SOMEHOW KONTE KEEPS IT OUT...

Dowling shot too high with a free-kick from downtown but really, Mousehole must have felt let off the hook by their determined, well drilled guests.

Following the break, Adams smashed a shot from 18 yards against the top of the horizontal pole, Britton skied a decent opportunity and was later denied at inside-right by a desperate Apantaku block. 

After Mousehole had grabbed their goals, it remained only for  Chenoweth to fall right, as if he had dozed and rolled off the sofa, to clutch a tame Dowling effort and for Olly Sully to nod and then flick a couple of difficult near post efforts off target.

The Mousehole offense…

Not much at all was created before the recess for pasties and cider, only a low Ollie Challinor effort which rolled wide, a header by Tim Nixon which looped onto the roof of the net and a drive by Julio Fresnada which drifted past the left upright not bothering visiting goalie Sethan Locke in the slightest.

After the interval Turner looked like he was going to score on a smart break by Challinor but he returned the ball left to his colleague instead and that allowed visiting right-back Bubacarr Sama to make a stunning block on the Seagulls’ winger.

Nixon headed straight at Locke and of course Turner’s fine strike into the top of the Farm net was disallowed, following approach play involving the industrious and often clever Mitchell’s splendid pass and the overlapping Hackett’s low byeline centre.

Turner rapped a shot over the target and Locke made his only save at the end of the match, getting down well to block an angled drive from inside-left.

Those surprising but well taken Mousehole goals…

1-0:

A long pass forward by Mitchell sent Turner rushing away towards the left side of the penalty-box. Replacement Ross Derham was supporting inside and received a pass from the Seagulls’ number 7 but he slipped a neat assist right for Nixon who totally wrong-footed Farm defender Mason Winter and drove a left-footer past Locke.  

DERHAM'S ASSIST...

...NIXON SHOOTS...

...& SCORES...

2-0:

Turner’s spade-work on the right saw him cross towards the far stick where Nixon controlled the ball and fed it inside to Derham whose low shot rolled into the bottom left corner of the net.

DERHAM SWINGS A BOOT...

...& IT'S 2-0...

3-0:

Mitchell jinked and ran to the right bye-line, delivered a low centre to the 6 yard line and there was the unmarked Hill to shoot confidently into the right side of the net, leaving the Farm defenders in disarray.

MITCHELL'S ASSIST...

...& HILL'S GOAL...

The final words… 

3-0 looks good for Mousehole but surely they will consider themselves fortunate to win a game they had not dominated by such a clear margin.

However, fair play to them after the half-time break, for the possession ability of Fresnada, who moves so smoothly with the ball at his feet, the impish skills and creativity of Mitchell and the forward play of Turner and Nixon all came to fruition at the same time, assisted by the pacy runs of Hackett on the left flank.

Missing Torin Ntege in attack, the Seagulls eventually patched over his absence but in truth, Farm will rue their missed chances at such crucial moments. Britton was a strong influence in attack and Bissett was lively on the right but Sully was a real livewire on the left-wing for his team, displaying strength, dribbling ability and causing considerable danger. 

Dowling and Adams complemented each other well enough in midfield, whilst defender Harry Lucas put in a strong shift for his team but took a knock near the end. 

So a defeat for Farm and an uplifting win for the hosts in a very watchable encounter…

The screenshots...

CHENOWETH FALLS TO MAKE AN EASY LATE SAVE...

ADAMS (4 IN BLUE) IS DISMISSED...

SULLY LIFTS A NEAR POST VOLLEY TOO HIGH...

SULLEY'S HEADER FLIES OFF TARGET...

SULLY: DETERMINED & DANGEROUS...

TURNER'S STRIKE WOULD BE CHALKED OFF...

MITCHELL, 10, PLAYS HIS FINE PASS FOR HACKETT TO RUN ONTO...

RARE PANIC FOR BRISTOL, AS THEY CLEAR BARRATT'S CENTRE...

TURNER SETS UP HIS TEAM-MATE, BUT...

...SAMA BLOCKS FROM CHALLINOR...

NIXON LEAPS, MORE LIKE A SALMON THAN A SEAGULL...

CHENOWETH PUNCHES CLEAR BRITTON'S HEADER...

BRITTON HEADS AGAINST THE CROSSBAR...

NIXON HEADS OVER...

CHENOWETH GRABS A LOOSE BALL...

MITCHELL SHOOTS...