Josh Wood notched a hat trick as Wendron United got their pre-season off to the perfect start with a routine 8-1 victory over Porthleven at Underlane.
Wood's three, combined with goals from Lucas Potts, Jack Stocker, Billy Stone, trialist Ryan Reeve, and Sam Young secured the win for the home side with Martyn Webster scoring the last goal of the game for Port.
Under perfect playing conditions on the July afternoon Wendron began the game on the front foot and opened the scoring with 11 minutes on the clock.
Midfielder Lucas Potts tip-toed his way past two defenders before firing a low, grass cutting effort toward goal. Though not his cleanest strike it was perfectly placed as it found the bottom corner via the far post to make it 1-0.
Dron should have been two to the good moments later but Ryan Reeve, who is trialling with the club after Penryn dropped out of the South West Peninsula League, could only side foot a driven Josh Wood cross onto the outside of the post.
Port had a half chance of their own on 17 minutes when a lofted free-kick caused havoc in the Wendron box but the ball never sat down for a strike as the chance went begging.
That proved costly because less than 60 seconds later Wendron were celebrating a second. Reeve broke the offside but couldn't quite latch onto the ball which goalkeeper Shaun Jackson-Guy cleared.
His kick only went as far as Jack Stocker though and the midfielder showed composure under pressure to delicately dink the ball over the backtracking keeper and into the empty net to double the advantage.
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Roll on roll off subs were prominent throughout the fixture and one of Dron's subs scored with his first touch to make it 3-0 on 22 minutes. A flowing move from back to front involved a lot of players, it ended with another accurate cross this time finding its way to Billy Stone who had the simple task of tapping in with his first touch.
Wood turned from provider to scorer on the half hour mark as he rushed away from the defence and rolled the ball into the bottom corner to make it 4-0 before Jackson-Guy was on hand to produce a marvellous one handed save to keep out Joe Souch's curling effort following a corner shortly after.
Jacob Cleverly, another Wendron trialist, was the next to force Jackson-Guy into a stop before the St Piran side broke with the last move of the half, Sam Leslie located Dan Parker with a ball over the top but the young strikers low drive swept its way narrowly wide of the far post.
The second half continued in the same fashion as the first with Wendron dominating possession. Wood added his second of the match after Stone checked inside and picked out the striker with a cross which the forward finished finely to make it 5-0 on 47 minutes.
Port continued to plug away despite the scoreline and Leslie was unfortunate to see his deflected drive fall just the wrong side of the upright moments after.
The visitors came close to their opening goal on in the 55th minute when their match winner from the St Piran League Cup final Martyn Webster rose highest to flick on a Dan Greet free-kick. But unfortunately for the all-rounder his effort came back off the far post.
Just shy of the hour mark Wendron added another with Reeve finally getting his goal. Cleverly had done well to hold the ball on the edge before feeding Stocker, who again showed intelligence and a calmness about his game to feed Reeve who finessed the ball into the far corner for the sixth goal.
Four minutes later they were celebrating again with what would be their penultimate goal of the game, but one which was very easy on the eye. Reece Carroll aimed an accurate cross perfectly onto the boot of Sam Young, who used the bounce of the ball to his advantage to loft it over the keeper to make it 7-0.
A goal continued to evade Port who had a near miss in the 68th minute when Fraser Williams threw himself at another dangerous Greet centre, but the ball was just too far in front of the visiting defender. Moments later Webster opted to shoot from a long-range free-kick but could only cannon his drive over the bar.
In the 74th minute Wood completed Wendron's scoring with a close-range tap in. Jack Noy had endeavoured down the left hand side to get a cross in. Eventually, he worked a ball into the box and despite offside appeals Wood was on hand to seal his hat trick.
Port would have the last laugh though as Webster scored the final goal of the game in the 87th minute. Another dangerous delivery from a free-kick dumbfounded the Dron defence, leaving Webster unmarked to glance home from close range to make it 8-1 at the final whistle.
A good run out for both sides as they continue to prepare for the season in each of their respective leagues. Wendron host Mousehole on Tuesday, July 5 in their next pre-season tie with kick off at 7:30. Meanwhile Port's next game is away at Mullion on Saturday, July 9.
Read how the action unfolded live here.
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