SWPL PREMIER WEST (SATURDAY)

Camelford 0 Liskeard Athletic 2

DAN Jennings scored in each half as Liskeard Athletic kept up the pressure on leaders Newquay with a 2-0 victory over in-form Camelford at Trefrew Park.

An even game which saw the Blues otherwise fail to trouble teenage goalkeeper Rylee Deignan, was decided by two clinical finishes as they remain two points behind the Peppermints with both having four games to play after they beat Callington Town 1-0 at Mount Wise.

Liskeard were without skipper Josh McCabe who started a three-match ban following his sending-off a fortnight earlier, as well as Max Gilbert, Jarrad Woods, Cam Patterson and Luke Cloke.

Camelford, who had won their last four matches to banish any relegation fears, brought in Mark Gusterson on the left, while usual right-back Sam Watts was in midfield.

Shae Cardiff.
Camelford attacker Shae Cardiff drives towards the box. Picture: Paul Hamlyn (Paul Hamlyn)

An even start meant the first chance did not arrive until the seventh minute, and it was a big one at that.

A ball down the channel from left-back Tom Cowling was missed by the Liskeard defence, but striker Adam Sleep stood on the ball and the chance was gone.

Liskeard midfielder Will Gilbert shot over from a short corner two minutes later, but Camelford pressed well to keep the Blues at bay.

Gilbert had another effort blocked after a one-two with Matt Andrew, before Sam Watts’ shot was deflected into the arms of Luke Gwillam.

The former Camels stopper had to be at his best on 24 minutes. After Shae Cardiff dispossessed Andrew and played in Sleep down the right, Gwillam was off his line quickly to block.

All good sides need just a moment to break the deadlock and Jennings found it two minutes later.

After some hesitancy in the back line, he took the ball in the box before placing a clinical finish past Deignan from 12 yards.

Macauley Thorp shot weakly at the Camelford keeper after a Jennings break found him, before the rest of the half passed off without much goalmouth action.

Matt Andrew and Kenley Dyson.
Midfield action as Liskeard's Matt Andrew and Camelford's Kenley Dyson (7) battle for the ball. Picture: Paul Hamlyn (Paul Hamlyn)

Liskeard were much-improved after the break and soon saw Lorenz shoot straight at Deignan from the angle of the box after cutting on to his left foot.

Camelford put together some pressure leading up to the hour and Cardiff was denied by Gwillam after being played through by Kenley Dyson, before Sleep headed a difficult chance over.

Will Gilbert missed a big opportunity to clinch it for the Blues on 73 minutes when he placed Jennings’ cutback from the left wide of the far post, but it was 2-0 four minutes later.

Again a bouncing ball in the box was seized upon and the well-travelled frontman crashed in a shot inside the near post.

Both sides emptied their benches late on, but Liskeard eventually cruised to a vital three points.

CAMELFORD: Rylee Deignan; Olly Taylor (Dan Balsdon, 85), Sam Wade (capt), Tom Crowe, Tom Cowling; Kenley Dyson, Ross Beare, Sam Watts (Bailee Deignan, 69); Shae Cardiff (Kenan Nicholas, 85), Adam Sleep, Mark Gusterson (Josh Insley, 85). Sub unused: Josh Colwill (gk).

LISKEARD ATHLETIC: Luke Gwillam (Cory Harvey, 87); Matt Outtram, Darren Hicks, Scott Sanders, Ben Collins; Macauley Thorp (capt), Matt Andrew, Paul Heveran, Will Gilbert (Jensen Bryan, 82); James Lorenz (Bobby Hopkinson, 90+3), Dan Jennings. Subs unused: Ashton Harris.

Men of the match: Camelford – Tom Crowe; Liskeard Athletic – Scott Sanders.