TRURO CITY 2 PORTHLEVEN 3

TRURO City's bid to lift themselves off the foot of the Carlsberg SWL ended in disappointment at Treyew Road on Saturday when they went down 3-2 to Porthleven.

On a heavy pitch the game wAs, for the most part, a scrappy affair, but after falling behind to a 30th minute penalty, the Fishermen managed to recover sufficiently to win the game with a bit to spare.

Porthleven had Simon Webb making his debut and he impressed with his contribution until he was eventually substituted with ten minutes to go.

Porthleven looked the livelier side in the opening stages with Webb providing a great cross only for Lee Doncaster to head behind, but as the half progressed the game became bogged down in midfield.

Dean Harris cleared a dangerous situation for City when he headed away a corner by Andy Rollinson, but the opening goal came on the half-hour when a ball was played through the heart of the Fishermen's defence. Richard Keith raced out to clear the danger, but brought down Wolstencroft in the box for Matt Salmon to put City a goal up from the penalty spot.

Andy Butcher showed uncharacteristic handling when he fumbled a cross by Ben Steward, but five minutes from half-time the visitors were back on level terms when Steward made a good run and found Doncaster who laid the ball back into the path of Steward to strike his shot into the corner of the net.

Butcher was in action early in the second half when he dealt with David Woodfield's cross from Webb's free kick and then did superbly to save with his legs after Doncaster beat the offside trap to break through.

Paul Baldwin made a determined run for City, but put his shot wide of the target and Salmon headed behind after getting on the end of Luke Wort's corner.

City enjoyed a good spell of possession and Rusty Rowson brought a good save from Keith with a fine header from Greg Butcher's cross.

Rowson made a nuisance of himself to get in another header from a Harris free kick, but after 76 minutes Porthleven took the lead when Webb lifted the ball over City's defence for Woodfield to show the defence a clean pair of heels and cut in and drive his shot low and hard which appeared to take a deflection of Harris who attempted to keep it out.

City showed plenty of spirit and hard work and they gained their reward three minutes later when they grabbed an equaliser. Ben Williamson failed to make his tackle and that allowed Rowson to cut in and score with a great chip shot over Keith into the top corner of the net.

A minute later City's joy was cut short when Porthleven snatched a third goal. Lee Ireland made ground along the flank and crossed into the box for Shane Clarke to head on for Andy Sargent to stretch and guide the ball into the net past Butcher for what proved the winning goal.

On Saturday Porthleven are home to Liskeard Athletic in the Carlsberg SWL and the Jolly's Combination League side, who did not play on Saturday, are away to Goonhavern. Both games kick off at 2.30 pm.

City: A Butcher, G Butcher, M Cain, D Harris, C Wolstencroft, C Davey, M Salmon, P Baldwin, B Goldring, L Wort, R Rowson. Subs: P Wolstencroft (for Salmon), S Hawke (for P Baldwin).

Porthleven: R Keith, H Morgan, B Williamson, J Ahern, R Powell,B Steward, S Webb, D Woodfield, A Sargent, L Doncaster, A Rollinson. Subs: D Holsey, M Laity, L Ireland, S Hadley, S Clarke.

l The ongoing saga of Penryn Athletic's reluctance to transfer Martin Day and Paul Cox to Truro City and Falmouth Town was resolved on Friday evening when the CCFA ruled the transfers should be sanctioned by the Carlsberg SWL.

The county decided that as the players were non contract and had asked for a move, it would be wrong to prevent them from playing for another club.