A member of the St Piran Football League  

Match Report

St Eval Spitfires 2-3 Grampound

10th December 2022

Duchy League

Grampound created a couple of good chances in the opening few minutes but could not convert them and St Eval showed they were not there to just make up the numbers.  After what seemed to be a foul but ignored by the referee, St Eval found a little space and the back of the net with a comfortable finish to put Grampound a goal behind.  Grampound gradually got their passes moving and put pressure on the home team but it was a simple long ball into the channel that saw Dylan Fox beat his marker for pace, round the goalkeeper and slot the ball into the empty net for Grampound's equaliser.  Grampound at last seemed to find their feet and some good neat passing and good movement created numerous chances.  Unfortunately for Grampound these were not converted until Sam Blount collected a long diagonal pass and finshed neatly to put Grampound ahead shortly before the break.
After half time, St Eval seemed to throw a few more players forward and Grampound had to defend properly to deny the hosts any chances.  Dylan Fox eventually scored his second when he outpaced the home defence again and finished smartly to put Grampound 3-1 ahead.  St Eval did not give up and gave Grampound a more difficult time than some better sides have late in the match but their second goal was the result of an appalling decision by the referee which typified his fairly inept performance throughout the game.  A ball was driven at a Grampound defender from anout 2 yards away.  The ball hit him and a home player appealed for handball for the umpteenth time during the game.  The referee waited a while and in spite of nobody on the field knowing if it struck a chest, hand or arm apart from the two players involved, and most importantly the referee who could not see through the back of the player, a penalty was awarded.  This ridiculous decision summed up a terrible performance by the referee over the 90 minutes.  The penalty was converted and Grampound had to survive 10 minutes to take all the points which was accomplished comfortably to keep Grampound unbeaten before Christmas for the first time in many years.