FALMOUTH TOWN 2 PENRYN ATHLETIC 0

IN front of a large Boxing Day crowd, Falmouth Town not only gained three valuable Carlsberg SWL points, but gained some local pride with a deserved win over their derby rivals.

With changes forced upon him following the draw at Penzance, manager Steve Massey again had to play a different starting line up. Rob Troon was injured so Andy Munro, who was available again, took his place. Justin Ashburn and James Wilcock also started instead of Matt Pellow and Dominic Keen who were relegated to the bench.

Bryn Wheeler had recovered from his injury, but only made the bench as Massey gave a debut to new signing from St Agnes, Liam Heenan.

It was Athletic who dominated the opening stages and after four minutes Matt Drummond had the first effort on goal, but eventually it was an easy catch for Ayres.

Three minutes later, Drummond again went close as the ball fell to him on the edge of the box and his shot coming within a whisker of giving the visitors the lead.

Only two minutes later Penryn again could have taken the lead, but top goalscorer Dave Wilkinson slid onto a cross from Jamie Thirkle, but couldn't make sufficient contact to trouble Ayres and the ball went wide.

Town came back into the game with Ross Pope and Justin Ashburn creating chances but Andy Avery wasn't tested.

On 19 minutes Drummond played in Wilkinson who was unlucky when his six yard shot rolled agonisingly along the goalmouth and grazed the post before going out for a goal kick.

It was Town's turn to feel unlucky mninutes later when from a free kick the ball was floated over for Justin Ashburn to meet it with a diving header which went just wide.

Young Jamie Thirkle and Drummond both went close for Athletic and in this end-to-end game Town's Steve Winnan also went close just a few minutes later.

In the first minute of the second half Town broke the deadlock. Town won a corner off Damon Mulready and Wayne Brown's cross was met on the volley by Justin Ashburn whose angled effort squeezed in at the near post.

Five minutes later and it was 2-0. Liam Heenan picked up the ball inside the centre circle and ran with it before coolly slotting it under the advancing Avery to the delight of the home faithful.

A minute later Andy Munro tried to get in on the act, but his effort went wide.

Athletic were unlucky after 55 minutes when a shot by Thirkle hit the crossbar with Ayres beaten. Four minutes later Damian Stevens was booked for a foul and from the resultant kick the ball reached Ryan Williams who crossed for Mulready to shoot wide.

With 20 minutes remaining, Wilkinson hit a fine shot from which Ayres made a brilliant one handed save to deny the visitors. The ball was cleared and it found Pellow whose shot only found the side netting.

With time running out Williams shot wide after being set up by Darren Burchell and only two minutes were left when Mulready bundled over Heenan in the box. Stevens offered the kick to the debutant who declined, so Stevens took the kick himself. To the delight of the visiting supporters, Avery made a fine save with his feet to deny the Town skipper his first goal since November 1.

Fortunately, Town were already two goals to the good, so the miss didn't dampen the Christmas cheer in the Town camp.

Town: D. Ayres, A. Munro, J. Willcock, M. Spargo, J. Ash, R. Pope, W. Brown (M. Pellow), D. Stevens, J. Ashburn (B. Wheeler), L. Heenan, S. Winnan Subs: L. Patchett, D. Keen.

Athletic: A. Avery, S. Jewell, J. Thirkle (J. Pook), R. Williams, D. Mulready, A. Trudgian (P. Willey), D. Burchell, A. Pook, D. Wilkinson, M. Drummond, L. Oldfield (S. Proctor)

Subs: P. Hooper, P. Kneebone.