Wednesday, August 16

South West Peninsula League

Premier Division

JACK Alexander was the star of the show as Launceston got their South West Peninsula League Premier Division season up and running with a 6-1 thrashing of local rivals Camelford at a rain-lashed Trefrew Park last Wednesday night.

First-half goals from Sam Davey and Scott Blatchford put the Clarets 2-0 up before Alexander’s brace and tap-ins from Liam Prynn and Chris Head underlined their supremacy.

Home defender Martin Haynes headed in a corner with virtually the last kick of the game, but the Camels were well beaten.

Launceston made three changes from their opening day defeat to Plymouth Parkway at Pennygillam as skipper Lee Rundle returned at centre-back for George Birbeck with Sam Hill moving across to right-back, Callum Thompson made way for striker Davey, allowing Blatchford to drop into a midfield three, while goalkeeper Ollie Chenoweth came in for the injured Cory Harvey.

The Camels matched Launceston’s 4-3-3 for their first league outing, although they were missing the holidaying Bobby Hopkinson and key forwards Mark Gusterson and Joe Adkins who were both injured.

Reg Hambly’s men finished just three places below Launceston last season, but the visitors looked a side transformed, causing the home defence constant headaches, underlined by the tricky Alexander who was afforded far too much space down the right-hand side.

Despite the gulf in class on the night, it was Camelford who nearly took a lead inside two minutes.

Skipper Dan Balsdon intercepted a poor back-pass from Josh McCabe but Rundle and Charlie Hardcastle were on hand to snuff out the danger.

The game was played at a good pace and Camelford’s impressive right-back Harry Hambly was forced to clear the ball off the line after goalkeeper Luke Gwillam’s clearance ricocheted off Davey.

Launceston’s pace on the flanks was proving problematic, and they took the lead in the 17th minute. Ruben Kane’s cross was right on the penalty spot for Alexander whose header was seemingly brilliantly saved by Gwillam. However, the ball dropped on the line for Davey to touch the ball in.

The Clarets looked dangerous but Balsdon was a nuisance at the other end, and it was his sublime touch that should have resulted in an equaliser.

Charlie Hambly’s one-two with his captain sent him clear with just Chenoweth to beat, however the former Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper stayed big and blocked the shot.

The incessant rain was causing plenty of problems for the players and supporters alike, and it was 2-0 to Launceston on 39 minutes as Hardcastle’s low free-kick was inexplicably allowed to get to the back-post where Blatchford was on hand for a simple tap-in.

Camelford needed an early goal after half-time to make a game of it and it was Balsdon who went mighty close.

After receiving the ball on the edge of the area, he turned McCabe one way and then the other but his near-post drive went wide.

The game was effectively over on 55 minutes as Alexander volleyed in with Gwillam in no-mans land from a cross.

Being 3-0 up allowed manager Gary Jeffery to rotate his squad just after the hour as he brought on Thompson and Head for Kane and Davey, and it was Thompson who contributed towards the fourth goal on 72 minutes.

Alexander’s throughball put Thompson one-on-one with Gwillam, and although the youngster did well to deny him, Prynn was on hand to smash the ball into the back of the net.

Both sides made changes with Olly Edwards, James Heywood and Zak Griffiths coming on for Balsdon, Andy Boxall and Harry Hambly for the Camels, while Ryan Tetley replaced Hill at right-back for Launceston.

It was soon 5-0 as Alexander’s shot from 22-yards squirmed under Gwillam before Head completed the rout when Alexander’s cross from the right ended up at the back-post for the substitute to fire into the bottom corner.

The Camels did at least get a goal back when Haynes headed home Ed Harrison’s corner with seconds to go, but it was Gary Jeffery leaving Trefrew Park the happier of the managers.

Jeffery said: “I was delighted with how we adapted to the conditions and I thought we played very well for 60 minutes on Saturday.

“So I knew that if we could repeat that then we could really turn the heat up.

“We have a fantastic squad and the strength in depth means competition for places is very strong and challenging.

“The football we can play is quick, direct and works for us. We want to play and keep the ball. I don’t like my teams to be boring I like energetic players and workmen like attitudes. We have a strong side and players really did well last night.

“Jack Alexander was excellent and promised a top performance as we both felt he could have done better against Parkway.

“It was a pity we didn’t keep a clean sheet but we want to make sure we do that now at home on Saturday against Stoke Gabriel.”

While Jeffery was left purring over their performance, Reg Hambly admitted that although his side were in the game for the opening 45 minutes, Launceston were a bit too good.

Hambly said: “I was pretty happy with the first-half but we let in a sloppy goal before half-time which killed us.”

“Even at 2-0 I thought we had a chance, but once it got to 3-0 our heads dropped and Launceston started to play really well.

“Their front three were very good and caused us a lot of problems and we didn’t know how to cope. But we’re a team of local boys and a lot of their boys are from Plymouth so we expected a tough game and that’s exactly what happened.

“As well as that we had Bobby, Mark and Joe out, who contributed about 40 goals for us last year, so we were obviously missing a lot of firepower but we’ll go down to Torpoint on Saturday, dig in and try to get a result.”

Camelford (4-3-3):

Gwillam; H Hambly, Haynes, Sleep, Jenkin; C Hambly, Insley, Harrison; Penrose Balsdon (captain), Boxall

Subs: Griffiths, Edwards, Heywood, R Hambly, Fryer

Launceston (4-3-3):

Chenoweth; Hill, McCabe, Rundle (captain), Hardcastle; Watson, Kane, Blatchford; Alexander, Davey, Prynn

Subs: Thompson, Head, Birbeck, Metherell, Tetley

Post Man of the Match:

Jack Alexander (Launceston)