South West Peninsula Premier Division

By Sam Brown

CAMELFORD earned the bragging rights in the local derby as a dominant second-half display saw them defeat Launceston by three goals to one at Trefrew Park last Saturday.

The game started off pretty slowly as both teams kept the ball well. But Joe Adkins picked up the pace within ten minutes, however his run and cut back to Ed Harrison was scuffed wide.

Launceston now had a great chance to take the lead through influential winger Jack Alexander, whose crafty ball was followed up by Danny Zalick, but his shot went over the bar from close range.

Camelford now had arguably the best chance of the half. Bobby Hopkinson’s pass landed at the feet of Joe Adkins whose shot was well saved, before the ball was cleared and put back in at the back post to Mark Gusterson who flicked the ball wide.

The Camels were now playing some good football and earned themselves a throw in which was flicked on by Josh Insley to George Harrison, but his well struck shot was saved by Jordan Tewkesbury.

Reg Hambly’s men were dominating, but as so often is the case when a side is control, they found themselves behind, as the lively Alexander found himself in space and hit a shot into the top corner to give goalkeeper Josh Grills no chance and the Clarets the lead at the break.

The Camels came out hungry for a goal after the interval and it nearly came from Gusterson, but Tewkesbury put the ball behind for a corner. The resulting corner was blocked by Launceston centre-back Sam Hill from Adkins’ strike.

The Camels finally got their goal 20 minutes into the half when Hopkinson played a lovely ball over the top to Gusterson whose shot was well saved again, but Adkins nipped in to slot the ball into the back of the unguarded net.

Camelford were now in the ascendency, and the second came ten minutes later as Hopkinson’s free-kick pinned around the area before falling to Adam Sleep at the back post to smash the ball home.

Chances kept coming for the strugglers, and should have given themselves some breathing space when Hopkinson’s corner was headed onto the bar by Adam Jenkin before Gusterson blasted over the rebound.

Gary Jeffery’s Clarets were still in with a shout of gaining a valuable point and saw Alexander’s free-kick blocked, before Sleep, who was enjoying a superb game at the back, spared the blushes of his fellow defender George Harrison, by clearing the ball off the line after Harrison’s misplaced header.

Going into the final stages, there was plenty of tension in the crowd, however Camelford wrapped up the points when another Hopkinson free-kick went through everyone to find the corner and move Hambly’s men further away from the drop zone.