PORTHLEVEN ended their year on a dismal note when they were beaten 2-0 by Penzance at Gala Parc on Boxing Day.

It was a surprise that on such a heavy pitch and with the Fishermen without six of their leading players that the game went ahead at all. It must have been a decision they were eventually to come to regret having put in so much effort to get the game played for such a poor return.

Huw Morgan, Sean Hadley, Mark Forrester, Scott Clarke, Rob Powell, and Ben Steward were all unavailable for one reason or another.

The visitors also adapted their tactics much better to the conditions. Porthleven still tried to play their passing game through the increasingly cloying mud whereas the Magpies opted for the longer game and ensured the ball wouldn't become bogged down in between the boxes.

The visitors also won the lion's share of possession in midfield and were quicker to the breakdown, but Porthleven's Andy Sargent and Lee Doncaster had reasonable chances in an evenly-matched first half.

Penzance edged in front a minute before the break when a cross into the box found Scott Bennett. He thumped in a shot which took a deflection of Ben Williamson and although Richard Keith made a desperate attempt to keep the ball out, he could only help it into the net.

The second half was much the same pattern as the first half, but Porthleven did have their chances including Sargent who hit a post and then missed from five yards when it would have been far easier to score.

As the going got heavier and heavier, so the Fishermen wanted that extra touch on the ball and that effectively played into the hands of the visitors who were eager to pounce and step in to whisk the ball away.

Lee Doncaster rattled the crossbar with a good effort, but Penzance put themselves in full control of the game when Ian Rowe was dispossessed. James Vercesi got to the by-line and pulled the ball back across the face of the goal for Bennett to score from close range.

Rowe, Doncaster, and Rollinson were all substituted for Matt Laity, Daniel Stidwell and Dean Bray with Darren Holsey pushed up into midfield, but the visitors were much too wise and gave little away to comfortably hold on for victory.

Porthleven's next scheduled fixture is at home to Tavistock in the Carlsberg SWL on Saturday, kick-off 2.30 pm.