MOUSEHOLE WOMEN 6-0 PENRYN LADIES

CORNWALL WOMEN’S CUP QUARTER FINAL

SUNDAY 25^TH FEBRUARY 2018, AT TRUNGLE PARC

Mousehole booked their place in the Womens County Cup Semi Final with a dominant 6-0 victory over Penryn Ladies, despite having to field a much-changed side because of injuries and work commitments.

Flo Davies Kirsop moved from right back to centre back and ensured the visitors’ strike force was kept very quiet.  Lyndsey Mayers had another commanding game in goal after her appearance for Cornwall Women versus Leeds United Ladies 24 hours earlier, but with only a few actual saves to make, it was her speed off the line that snuffed out any threats on the break.  With Jo Barker out through injury it was left to Megan Davison to lead the line with Stacey George playing just behind.

Mousehole were finding space and joy down the flanks but were unable to capitalise until five minutes before half time, when a perfectly-weighted pass from Tamara de Silva split the defence for Sophie Wilson to advance and calmly slot the ball into the corner of the net.

The introduction of Katy Barker and Carly Jacka at the start of the second half saw Mousehole take total command, and the hosts duly doubled their lead with a superb move.  The ball came into Megan Davison with her back to goal, she swept a pass out to the right for Megan Edwards to race on to and pull back for Sophie Wilson who in turn squared the ball for Carly Jacka to drive into the top corner.

Shortly afterwards it was 3-0, Sophie Wilson getting her second goal with a high ball eluding everyone and finding the net.  Katy Barker then added two identical goals, latching on to a defence-splitting pass, taking the ball into and across the box past the defence and the ‘keeper, and placing the ball into an empty net.

The scoring was rounded off when the Penryn ‘keeper’s clearance ​found Sophie Wilson who ran through unopposed and slid the ball through the keeper’s legs for her hat-trick.

In the other quarter-final ties, South West League sides Callington (last year’s winners) and Charlestown won, while Helston progressed via a ‘home walkover’.

Next Sunday, 4^th March, Mousehole Women will be looking to maintain their lead at the top of the Cornwall Women’s League with a home match against Culdrose (2:30pm). Mousehole Women v Penryn Ladies – starting X1:  Lyndsey Mayers (captain), Lena Mannon, Tamara de Silva, Lucy Brown, Flo Davies Kirsop, Becky Edwards, Sophie Wilson, Claire Hitchens Todd, Megan Edwards, Stacey George, Megan Davison.  Substitutes (all played) – Robyn Ashurst, Carly Jacka, Katy Barker, Rosie Davison.

A weekend to celebrate and promote girls’ and women’s football was a great success, with Leeds United Ladies, who play in the Women’s FA Premier League Northern Division, having a joint training session with Mousehole’s own successful Women’s team on Friday evening and hosting a soccer camp for girls aged 6-16 on Saturday morning.  They also found time to visit the Penlee Lifeboat in Newlyn before taking on a Cornwall Women’s representative side in a full-scale match at Mousehole AFC’s Trungle Parc on Saturday afternoon, followed by a social get-together in the clubhouse during the evening.

The event was initiated and organised jointly by Jason Blunt (Mousehole AFC’s Head of Youth & Development and until last June the manager of Leeds United Under-23s), and locally-based David Haigh, former Managing Director of Leeds United.

Watched by a crowd of 215 on a bitterly cold and windy afternoon, Leeds Ladies won the fixture 3-0 with a display of clinical finishing.  Cornwall Women were playing their first game since 2015 but gave a good account of themselves against the visitors, who play regularly together in league and cup matches and have enjoyed a good run of form and results since the new year.

Mousehole’s Lyndsey Mayers made some good saves in goal in an open first half and Cornwall came close on a couple of occasions through Tori Marks and Kerri-Ann Moxon, but it was Leeds who took the lead with the last action before half time.  Amber Hadrill nearly equalised for Cornwall with a long-range free kick but the visitors doubled their lead with a well-worked corner routine and added a third goal late on.

Cornwall Squad:  Alice Bennion, Amber Hadrill, Beth Overton, Chevonne Johanning, Chloe Harris, Kaitlyn Harris, Lauren Bennett, Tori Marks (all Charlestown), Charlotte Whitmore, Sally Salter (both Cornwall ACC), Dani Salt, Faye Ivall (both Plymouth Argyle), Jodie Hood, Laura-Beth Medcalf, Zoe Arundell-Lethbridge (all St. Agnes), Kerri-Ann Moxon (Helston), Lyndsey Mayers (Mousehole), Sara Rowe (Callington)

*Jason Blunt was delighted with the weekend’s activities:  “We are very grateful to the Cornwall FA for their work in preparing this fixture, and to Leeds United Ladies for spending time with us and showing the standards we can aspire to as the girls’ and women’s game develops.  We know they had a great time down here and enjoyed the Cornish hospitality.  The weekend needed a great deal of planning and organisation and once again the club’s hard-working volunteers did a superb job all round.  Let’s hope we can move on to stage similar events in the not-too-distant future.”

Lee Townend, Chairman of Leeds United Ladies, was equally enthusiastic about the success of the weekend visit:  ““It was an absolute pleasure to be invited to Cornwall and a fantastic adventure for our ladies and staff.  Our time at Mousehole AFC could not have been any more perfect – the club’s staff and players, and the Cornwall FA players, were all very professional.  We were looked after in a way that could only be described as amazing.  Jason (Blunt) and all the coaches looked after us ‘above and beyond’, and David Haigh’s hotel at Lamorna Cove was just unbelievable.  Overall, such a beautiful place to visit and rest assured we will be back at some point in the future.”

*Mousehole Women then completed a perfect weekend on Sunday afternoon with a dominant 6-0 win over Penryn Ladies at Trungle Parc in the quarter-finals of the Cornwall Women’s Cup.

MOUSEHOLE WOMEN 1-1 CHARLESTOWN RESERVES LADIES

CORNWALL WOMEN’S LEAGUE, sponsored by Pirate FM

SUNDAY 18^TH FEBRUARY 2018

AT MARAZION

In their 11^th League match of the season, table-topping Mousehole Women dropped their first points of the season against a youthful and energetic Charlestown side on a pitch made heavy after recent rainy weather, especially down the middle.

When Mousehole got the ball wide to the right they caused the visitors problems, and they could have been two or three goals to the good before Scarlett Clouter’s breakthrough goal finally put them ahead, poking the ball home after a defensive mix-up at the far post following a deep corner.

There were other chances to extend the lead, but the Charlestown ‘keeper handled the ball securely, particularly from high crosses. A great chance came when Katy Barker raced to the byeline and pulled the ball back across goal, but none of the three onrushing Mousehole players could connect.  The hosts then had a let-off when a mix-up at the back gave the Charlestown forward a chance to force the ball home but she scuffed her shot.

However, The Seagulls conceded a goal straight after the second-half kick off, as the ball bobbled and was completely missed by the covering defenders, allowing Charlestown a clear run on goal for a simple equaliser.  This put Mousehole on the back foot and Charlestown began to get the better of the exchanges.  But Mousehole came back to get a grip on the game again and make chances to go back in front, Katy Barker hitting the bar after a weaving run and Megan Davison being denied by great block by the defender.

With the game ending all-square on a frustrating afternoon for The Seagulls, they still maintain their position at the top, now four points ahead of St Agnes who have a game in hand.

Mousehole Women:  Lyndsey Mayers (captain), Lena Mannon, Flo Davies Kirsop, Emma Hurworth, Lucy Brown, Megan Edwards, Sophie Wilson, Claire Hitchens Todd, Scarlett Clouter, Katy Barker, Jo Barker.  Substitutes:  Megan Davison (for Megan Edwards), Becky Edwards (for Jo Barker), Rosie Davison, Stacey George

*Congratulations are due to Lyndsey Mayers, Mousehole Women’s captain and goalkeeper, who has been selected for the Cornwall Women’s team to play Leeds United Ladies at Trungle Parc this Saturday, 24^th February (2:15 kick off).

*Mousehole Women are next in action this Sunday (25^th), when Penryn Ladies are the visitors to Trungle Parc for a Cornwall Women’s Cup quarter-final tie (2pm)

ST BREWARD LADIES 0-18 (eighteen) MOUSEHOLE WOMEN

CORNWALL WOMEN’S LEAGUE, sponsored by Pirate FM

SUNDAY 11^TH FEBRUARY 2018, AT BRAKE PARK

HUGE WIN MAKES IT TEN OUT OF TEN FOR TABLE-TOPPING MOUSEHOLE WOMEN

Mousehole Women surged six points ahead at the top of the Cornwall Women’s League, and recorded their tenth consecutive win since the start of the season, with a bagful of goals to provide a major boost to their goal difference.

On a bitterly cold afternoon, this was the only game in the League to survive the wet weather, with both teams fielding depleted squads and the hosts particularly badly affected by unavailable players.

For Mousehole, four different players – Emma Hurworth, Lucy Brown, Sophie Wilson and Stacey George – took turns in goal in the absence of tonsillitis-stricken Lyndsey Mayers, and Cas Wilson made her debut.

It was 7-0 at half-time with goals from Sophie Wilson (2), Megan Edwards, Claire Hitchens Todd, Scarlett Clouter (2) and Jo Barker.

Early in the second half, Scarlett Clouter got her hat-trick and Claire Hitchens Todd scored her second to make it 9-0.  The Seagulls amassed another eight goals inside the last 20 minutes through Sophie Wilson (her hat-trick), Jo Barker, Scarlett Clouter, Jo Barker again for her hat-trick, Sophie Wilson with a ‘trade mark screamer’ from 30 yards, Emma Hurworth, two from Flo Davies – one an accidental deflection off her back from a Sophie Wilson drive, the second a powerful shot of her own, and finally Sophie Wilson rounding off the afternoon’s work.

The win maintains Mousehole Women’s 100% record and puts them on 30 points with a goal difference of +70.  In second place are last season’s champions St Agnes on 24 points with 8 wins from 9 games and a goal difference of +82.  Third are Helston Ladies with 19 points from 10 games.  Mousehole have yet to play St Agnes at home or away, so the six points on offer could go some way to deciding the destination of this season’s championship.

Mousehole’s next fixture is this Sunday (18^th) at home against Charlestown, kick off 2:30, venue to be decided later in the week.

Mousehole squad v St Breward:  Emma Hurworth, Lena Mannon, Lucy Brown, Flo Davies Kirsop, Megan Edwards, Claire Hitchens Todd, Sophie Wilson, Kieren Watkinson, Stacey George, Scarlett Clouter, Jo Barker, Cas Wilson 

Scorers:  Sophie Wilson (5), Scarlett Clouter (4), Jo Barker (3), Claire Hitchens Todd (2), Flo Davies Kirsop (2), Emma Hurworth (1), Megan Edwards (1).

MOUSEHOLE WOMEN 3-2 ILLOGAN LADIES

CORNWALL WOMEN’S LEAGUE, sponsored by Pirate FM

SUNDAY 28^TH JANUARY 2018

AT MOUNTS BAY ACADEMY

 Mousehole Women made a bit of history on Sunday with a win that takes them to the top of the Cornwall Women’s League table for the first time in recent years and three points clear of last year’s champions St Agnes with the same number of games played.

Mousehole had only 13 players available but with great team spirit they preserved their 100% record for the season by notching up their ninth consecutive win, this time against a team who were playing a league higher last season.

Without a game for eight weeks, the fixture was switched to the 3G pitch at Mounts Bay Academy as neither the Trungle Parc nor the Marazion pitches were fit after last week’s rain.  And it was Illogan who settled the quicker of the two sides.  However, Carly Jacka, showing her versatility with a commanding performance as a stand-in centre half, put in an ideal defence-splitting pass on 20 minutes for Katy Barker to sprint in on goal and score.

Mousehole then created further chances without extending their lead, before Illogan equalised through Bianca Lincoln who looped her shot into the top corner after being allowed too much time on the edge of the area.  The visitors almost took the lead when a free kick from the left destined for the far corner was acrobatically headed off the line by Carly Jacka who ended up in the net with the ball out for a corner.

Jo Barker was forced off at half time to be replaced by Becky Edwards, but the second half saw Mousehole with the wind at their backs take more command.  Another pinpoint pass, this time from Sophie Wilson, again found Katy Barker to slot the ball home.  The Seagulls were denied a further goal after a good save from the Illogan keeper, but she was unable to do anything about a rasping shot from Carly Jacka for a 3-1 lead and ultimately the winning goal, with Stacy Bray scoring for Illogan late on.

Mousehole had earned a hard-fought win with players putting their bodies on the line for the cause, and never stopped until the final whistle, epitomised by Sophie Wilson who overtook everyone to halt a dangerous-looking Illogan attack.

The team:  Lyndsey Mayers (captain), Lena Mannon, Carly Jacka, Lucy Brown, Tamara de Silva, Megan Edwards, Sophie Wilson, Megan Davison, Scarlett Clouter, Katy Barker, Jo Barker. 

Substitutes:  Becky Edwards (for Jo Barker, 46), Rosie Davison (for Megan Edwards, 85)

Scorers:  Katy Barker (2), Carly Jacka

*Mousehole Women’s next fixture is this Sunday, 4^th February, kick off 2:30pm, away at RNAS Culdrose, who are bottom of the League without a point this season.

ST TEATH LADIES 0-4 MOUSEHOLE WOMEN

CORNWALL WOMENS’ LEAGUE sponsored by Pirate FM

SUNDAY 3^RD DECEMBER 2017

DEPLETED MOUSEHOLE WIN TO CLAIM EQUAL TOP SPOT

On a very soggy pitch, the match got the go-ahead by referee Gary Cornish shortly before kick-off but only on the understanding that further rain would be likely to cause an abandonment.

However, the rain held off and Mousehole got stuck in to record their ninth consecutive win in all competitions to maintain their superb 100% start to the season.

In so doing they joined St Agnes on equal points at the top of the table with a game in hand, last season’s champions having had their game postponed.

And Mousehole’s win with only 12 players on the team sheet was achieved without four regular starters, but at the same time demonstrated the strength in depth of the squad which included two recent signings.

After an evenly contested opening period, Mousehole got into their stride and could have been a couple of goals up before they finally scored.  A corner from the right taken by Sophie Wilson was only partly cleared as far as Claire Hitchens Todd who unleashed a shot into the top corner.  The visitors were soon 2-0 up when Megan Davison pounced after St Teath failed to clear their lines.

Lyndsey Mayers, without much to do in the Mousehole goal, picked up an ankle injury when the ground gave way as she tried to clear a backpass, but she was soon able to resume.  The Seagulls went back on the attack, with several attempts on goal just missing the target or bringing some great saves from the home ‘keeper.

In the second half, Mousehole continued to press in search of further goals and the third came midway through the half.  The ball was whipped across the goal from the left, and Lena Mannon came in from the right to slot into the net.  Sophie Wilson finally got on to the score sheet with a wicked strike from the right for a final scoreline of 4-0 and her 14^th goal of the season.

Scarlett Couter came close on a couple of occasions, one a sneaky back heal and the other a header from a corner.  The hosts had their keeper to thank for keeping the score down with a couple of double saves, but they did threaten the Mousehole goal late on with a strike that hit the cross bar.

Team:  Lyndsey Mayers (captain), Lena Mannon, Emma Hurworth, Lucy Brown, Flo Davies Kirsop, Carla Hanmer, Claire Hitchens Todd , Sophie Wilson , Scarlett Clouter, Stacey George, Megan Davison.  Substitute:  Kieren Watkinson

Scorers:  Claire Hitchens Todd, Megan Davison, Lena Mannon, Sophie Wilson.

 

Mousehole Women are away at 5^th-place Charlestown Ladies Reserves next Sunday (10^th December), kick off 2:30pm.