PERRANPORTH 2 RNAS CULDROSE 3

THIS match looked as if it was all over before it had really got under way when Perranporth led 2-0, but there was a huge turnaround in fortunes as RNAS Culdrose picked up their sixth Jolly's Combination League point of the week with a 3-2 win.

"We were very slow out of the blocks," said assistant manager Neil Rudkin. "To be fair Perran were very good and deserved to be two goals up, but once the second goal went in it seemed to sting the team into action.

"I also think there's more self belief in the team now and once we scored you could sense that we were going to go on and win it."

It took Perranporth just five minutes to take the lead after Alex Arquati had cut in and forced a corner, with a save from Richard Pennington. From the corner Perran then won a corner on the edge of the box and, when it was floated in, Dave Rawlings headed in past Pennington.

Worse was to follow for Culdrose when they conceded a second goal ten minutes later. George Pattison tried to run a long ball over the top out of play, but Arquati refused to give up the chase and won possession to knock the ball across the face of the goal for Ross Maynard to score from close range.

Having sorted themselves out, Culdrose began to make inroads into the game, and great work by James Marles and Anthony Rowntree saw the ball knocked into the box where, after a spot of pinball, Pattison thumped the ball home.

The servicemen then created a number of good chances, with Jamie Thompson shooting just wide, and a tremendous free kick by Pattison being well saved by John Mitchell.

Culdrose continued to press and a poor goalkick allowed Marles to cut inside a defender and knock his shot over the 'keeper, but it struck the bar.

A minute into injury time saw Culdrose get back on level terms, when Marles and Rowntree worked a good move before Rowntree crossed for Matt Burrows to give the 'keeper no chance from close range.

The second half saw Culdrose tighten their grip on the game, but without actually snapping up the goals that their play merited.

With Perran just relying on the long ball tactic, Culdrose sat a little deeper and mopped up everything that was thrown at them.

Marty Bulgin had to be substituted following a heavy challenge, but Culdrose still defended well still managed to push forward in numbers in search of the third and winning goal.

It came with 15 minutes to go when Jamie Adam rolled the ball to Burrows who, with his back to goal, turned his marker and fired his shot past Mitchell into the corner of the net.

Culdrose still had chances to extend their lead, but a combination of good goalkeeping and last-ditch tackling kept the scoreline to reasonable proportions.

"Things are looking good at the moment," said Rudkin. "We are playing with a lot of self belief, but we know that position can change very quickly, so we will take that for now."

On Saturday, Culdrose play the first of two successive matches against Holmans when they visit Blaythorne. Kick off is at 2.30 pm.

RNAS Culdrose: R Pennington, M McBeath, I Pattison, D Rowe, M Bulgin, J Marles, J Adam, J Thompson, C O'Hare, A Rowntree, M Burrows. Subs: N Rudkin, G Archer.