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Sat 29th May 2010. Blaise Park, St Blazey AFC

Deacon 3 – 2 Rapsey

 

Dave Deacon retained the Cornwall Football Forum Help for Heroes trophy after a marginal victory in wet conditions at Blaise Park this afternoon.

 

Following 4-2 success at Carharrack against Richard Chown last season, Deacon welcomed the challenge of local goalscoring legend Mark Rapsey and felt confident that he could retain his silverware for another season.

 

Early encounters indicated that it was going to be a tight affair, with the slick Blaise Park pitch making for excellent conditions despite the humidity, however, a rapid-fire double from Perranporth’s Barry Leete provided Deacon’s side with a deserved early lead. Truro’s Jake Ash pushed forward and found Lee Rickard of St. Dennis, who curled a pin-point cross into the area for Leete to sweep home an outstanding right foot volley into the far corner of the net with Paul Hider well beaten. Just two minutes later Leete doubled his tally when a poor clearance fell to Rickard who squared the ball to allow Leete to curl another right-footed finish into the bottom right hand corner of Hider’s net.

 

Lee Rickard, scorer of three goals in this fixture last season, was denied by Buckley’s flag when through on goal. Deacon’s side pushed forward on a regular basis with Penzance’s James Miller looking a threat when cutting in from the wing and Miller was unfortunate not to add a third. Rapsey’s team rallied and Deacon had his first scare when Perranporth’s Danny Burrows blocked a shot that spilled out of his grasp and fortunately bounced to safety. Rapsey’s side were spurred on as Martin Gritton used his pace to outstrip the defence, sliding the ball across the box into the path of Truro defender Andy Van Evelingen, who miraculously poked the ball straight at his own goalkeeper from ten yards to deny what looked like a great opportunity to reduce the deficit.

 

Deacon’s side sat back to defend their lead and were happy to counter attack with James Miller at the centre of their attacking play, Rapsey’s side had Trispen’s Marc Taylor to thank after a last-ditch challenge that prevented Miller from capitalising on a clear opportunity on goal. Rapsey’s side broke quickly and Martin Watts saw Burrows off his line and watched on as his lofted strike went agonisingly over the crossbar. Rapsey’s side were in the ascendency and were unlucky not to reduce the deficit when excellent build up play resulted in cross being headed back across goal by Gritton. Trispen’s Graham Cook took the ball in his stride and could only watch on as his drive from the penalty spot struck the crossbar and bounced away to safety. Despite the pressure, Deacon’s back four held their nerve, with Pete Davey (Probus) leading by example with an outstanding challenge with Gritton bearing down on goal and the impressive Darren Burchell holding possesion in midfield. Deacon rotated his players in the first half and introduced Newquay’s Michael Rabone late on. Rabone had a perfect opportunity to extend the lead, chipping over Hider but also over the bar.

 

Despite a spirited fight back from Rapsey’s eleven, Deacon’s side were good value for their first-half lead, a combination of Leete’s finishing and some good fortune putting another trophy in the grasp of Dave Deacon.

 

The second half was a different matter, with Deacon’s side finding it difficult to contend with the attacking power of Rapsey’s experienced forward line. St Blazey’s Glynn Hooper had an outstanding opportunity to cut the lead and squandered a chance from six yards when well placed to score. Despite the lucky break, Deacon’s side were reduced to sporadic counter attacks and excellent link-up play from Leete and Rickard resulted in a fine save from Perranwell’s Paul Williams. Blazey’s Graham Rule picked up the ball inside his own half and broke forward, finding Rickard who returned the favour, only for Rule to run out of steam having covered over fifty yards with Williams untested.

 

Rapsey’s side continued to threaten with quick counter attacks and Gritton tried his luck from thirty yards with a first time volley that sailed wide. Truro’s Martin Watts looked likely to score and was presented with a perfect opportunity when Gosling’s pinpoint centre was headed into his path at the far post. Watts looked odds on to score and somehow managed to head the ball onto the underside of the bar from close range, much to the frustration of Rapsey who was beginning to believe that Deacon’s side were on the right end of some more good fortune. However, Rapsey’s side got the break they deserved, continued pressure resulted in a corner and a quick routine resulted in a low cross from Gosling that Gritton stepped over for Graham Cook to slide home an excellent finish past the helpless Burrows.

 

Just as Rapsey’s side looked to get back into the game, both Miller and Leete tried their luck from outside the box, with both strikes marginally wide of the target. Deacon’s defence looked vulnerable to the waves of attack from Rapsey’s strikeforce and somehow managed to extend their lead, a long ball from Threemilestone's Jason Peters found Rickard, who used his pace to break the offside trap to touch the ball around Williams and into the empty net. However, Deacon’s side were unable to hold on to their lead for long, with Gosling continuing to threaten from both wings. Gosling created space on the right and floated a perfect cross for Gritton to head home from six yards. With ten minutes remaining, Rapsey’s all out attack formation looked to have paid off when a corner from the left was headed goalwards and Deacon looked anxiously on as referee Lee Mitchell appeared to have given a goal. Sadly for Rapsey, the comeback was denied by a free kick to the defending team for an infringement in the box.

 

Despite the pressure, Deacon’s side continued to play a cavalier brand of football, going close on two occasions following a goalmouth scramble, with Williams making another fine save from the impressive Miller. Quite how Rapsey’s side didn’t forge an equalised in the last five minutes will remain a mystery; Burrows denied Hooper from the edge of the area, Gritton drove wide after opting to shoot first time and defender Steve Allen arrived at the back post and headed wide. Ian Gosling looked a continued threat and his inch-perfect cross was side-footed home by Watts at the far post, only to be denied by Chowne’s flag. At the other end, a rare late attack resulted in Rabone smashing a low volley a yard wide of Williams post. Gosling then had a golden opportunity to forge a late equaliser, working space in the area to strike goalwards, only to watch on as his low shot beat Burrows but not the frame of the goal.

 

With Deacon’s side holding on after some very good fortune, Mitchell ended a very entertaining battle with the final whistle.

 

Thank you to Richard Chown for his contribution to another outstanding event to raise money for Help for Heroes and Cornwall Air Ambulance and also to St Blazey Football Club for hosting a fantastic afternoon; the support of the sixty individuals attending today's game was very much appreciated.

 

Man of the match – James ‘Graham’ Miller for an outstanding attacking performance.

 

Team Deacon - Jake Ash (Truro City), James Miller (Penzance), Andrew Van Evelingen (Truro City), Daniel Burrows (Perranporth), Peter Davey (Probus), Lee Rickard (St Dennis), Chris Truscott (St Dominick), Michael Rabone (Newquay), Darren Meagor (Helston), Lee Collins (St Cleer), Neil Williams (Torpoint Athletic), Alex Matthews (Carharrack), Barry Leete (Perranporth), Jason Peters (Threemilestone), Graham Rule (St Blazey), Darren Burchell (Porthlevern)

 

Team Rapsey - Martin Watts (Truro City), Paul Hider (Launceston), Ian Gosling (Perranporth), Kevin Wills (Stoke Gabriel), Chris Davey (Probus), Glynn Hooper (St Blazey), Steve Allen (Perranwell), Paul Williams (Perranwell), Matthew Williams (Tywardreath), Guy Johnson (Redruth Utd), Liam Patterson (Threemilestone), Darren Buckley (Storm), Graham Cook (Trispen), Matt Saunders (Falmouth Ath), Marc Taylor (Trispen), Chris Webb (Truro City Vets), Martin Gritton (Chesterfield), Martine Ede (physio)