Cornish Crunch Game is Hard Cheese for Mousehole

 

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Monday 26th August at Kellaway Park
Result	Helston Athletic 4 Mousehole 2
Competition	Southern League Division One South
Hopstats	Ground 790 on my lifetime list, taking the chance to tick off one of the longer journeys on my hopping priority list.
Context
Helston were promoted to Step 4 from the Western League last season, the same route taken by Mousehole the year before. Both sides have made good starts to the league season though social media posts and a reduced subs list suggest that the visitors are depleted by injuries.
Match Report
This was an entertaining game, though the result was probably settled just before the hour when Helston got their third goal. The victory was due in no small part to their aerial dominance at set pieces. The early lead came after just six minutes when Mousehole’s keeper Ollie Chenoweth missed his punch, having called, and Jack Crago headed in. The second was a straightforward planted header by Aaron Bentley from a left-wing free kick. Helston had had much success down their right flank, including throw-in routines that seemed to work over and over again for them. It was 2-0 at half-time and could have been more. Credit therefore to Mousehole who scored a good goal soon after the break. Good work by number 11 who gave an inviting pass for number 9 Mark Goldsworthy as the home defence backed off. However, the result was in doubt for just a few minutes. The aforementioned third goal was again from a set-piece, and they added a fourth just ten minutes later. The scorers were a reprise of Crago and Aaron Bentley. Mousehole’s 11 (Jack Symons, I believe) added to his earlier assist with a consolation goal at the second attempt with 15 minutes or so left, but the home side were able to hold comfortably enough for their win. It had been a long drive to get here, and was to be an even longer one back the next day, but I’m very glad to have got this tick. So completes my bank holiday treble from Ipswich to Helston via Wokingham. I noted the big difference between the two step four crowds of 387 today and 82 two days ago in Suffolk, with Wokingham's Sunday Vase fixture somewhere in between.
Pix
Helston in blue ...   "Today's visitors are known as The Seagulls ..."
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
The background to this, and the latest keeper top colour league table, is here on this dedicated page. Today Orange defies the colour league table with a win over Grey. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Away Win Was the prediction correct? No % of correct predictions so far 49% (82 from 169)
What Next?
No definite plans but quite possibly an FA Cup tie at a Step 4 ground at the weekend. At some point there will be three more trips in this direction as Plymouth Parkway, Falmouth Town and Mousehole itself are all on my priority list for this season.