Hewitt’s goal has Town on target for new league

IN their second visit to Newquay inside a week, Falmouth Town pulled off the narrowest of victories to put them on course for an automatic spot in the new South West Peninsula League for the first time this season.

A strong, gusting wind blew around Mount Wise all afternoon and was a major influence on the game.

Newquay's line up included five of last season's Falmouth team but none of them were allowed to perform by Town's hard working defence in which Peter Davey and Wayne Brown were outstanding.

Carl Paparone, making his first appearance in Town's starting line up was in action after just three minutes when he ran onto a good through ball from Dean Tongue, but before he could line up a shot, two Newquay defenders closed him down and cleared the danger.

After 13 minutes, the industrious Andy Bowker was brought down near the left touchline by Lee Whetters and from the resulting free kick, Scott Clark cleared the ball for a corner. The corner was flicked on by Dave McGhee at the near post and found Mike Roberts, who knocked it back in but Peter Davey's header went just over the bar.

After 25 minutes Newquay, who had been constantly over-hitting their through balls, finally kept it on the ground in a good move involving Daniel Nancarrow and Ashley Bradshaw, which resulted in them getting a free kick on the edge of the Town penalty area but they hurried it and Joe Tickle was able to catch the ball under no pressure.

Town forced a corner after 33 minutes following a free kick for another foul on Bowker. The ball was headed out as far as Wayne Hewitt, who caught it on the volley and blasted it home from 15 yards to give Town the lead and notch his first goal for the club.

Six minutes later, Jake Hartigan went on a good run following a pass from Whetters but Davey read the situation well and cleared the ball off his feet. A minute later Bradshaw tried a fierce low shot from just inside the area but Tickle saved well at the foot of the post.

Mike Roberts played in midfield alongside the hard working Hewitt and McGhee, with Tongue on the left linking with Fergus Nevin, who was staying back more today.

Three minutes into the second half Paparone ran through onto the kind of ball he had been starved of for most of the first half, and forced a good save out of Newquay goalkeeper, Scott Palmer.

After 55 minutes, Roberts burst through on the right and Palmer came charging out of goal and kicked the ball out via Roberts' leg for a throw in. He was in such a hurry he took the throw himself but Bowker intercepted and, fortunately for the 'keeper, the shot towards the open goal was cleared by Bradshaw.

After several heavy downpours, the Mount Wise pitch was cutting up badly which allied with the non stop wind put any hope of good football out of the question.

In the 66th minute, Newquay played a good ball out of defence along the left wing, and Johnny Allen cut inside where his run was blocked by the Town defence, which earned him a free kick on the edge of the box, but the move came to nothing.

During the next ten minutes, the home side were pushing forward more and more, but twice Lee Beer made good saving tackles as Town soaked up the pressure.

In the 85th minute a good run on Town's left flank resulted in the ball finding Bowker six yards from goal and with time to pick his spot, he somehow hit it wide of the post with the home defence looking on and with two minutes remaining, Burchell tried a speculative shot in the swirling wind which Palmer failed to hold and Bowker stabbed at the ball as it bounced past him, but only succeeded in hitting the side netting.

Falmouth travel to St Blazey in the Cornwall Charity Cup tonight and entertain Porthleven in another crucial six-pointer on Saturday (2.30 pm).

Town: J. Tickle; W. Brown, F. Nevin, W. Hewitt, P. Davey, L. Beer, C. Paparone (S. Burt), D. McGhee, M. Roberts (D. Burchell), A. Bowker, D. Tongue. Sub unused: S. Rogers.