Carlsberg South West Peninsula division one West
Okehampton Argyle 2
Newquay 4
THIS was a disappointing result for Okehampton against a Newquay side who turned up with some regular players missing and with a player who normally plays outfield in goal.
Argyle have had a very disappointing end to a promising season and this was their sixth defeat on the trot.
The home side were missing first choice full back Shane Monnox and central defender Dale Chadwick and had regular starters Ed Squire and Steve Williams rested but on the bench. Even so, they did enough in the first half to show that they should have won this match if they had been prepared to test Newquay keeper James Oakley more frequently.
Okehampton opened the brighter side and brothers Brad and Callum Ausden began to worry the Newquay defence from the off. Luke Alden did brilliantly to get behind the visitors' defence on the left but was unable to get any power into his cross.
Then on 14 minutes, Argyle won a corner on the left. Alden quickly played it short to Jonjo Fellows, whose deep cross was firmly headed home by James Williams. This well deserved lead was only to last eight minutes as Newquay's Luke Weldhen let fly a superb 30 yard drive from the left which flew past Argyle keeper Harry Geering and into the corner of the net.
On 35 minutes, Okehampton restored their lead when Brad Ausden received the ball 20 yards out and placed a great shot past Oakley into the corner of the goal.
Within seconds, Newquay had levelled again when Louis Hilton let fly from the left edge of the penalty area and his shot found the bottom corner.
Argyle probably lost the game a minute after the interval, when Tyler Westby dribbled to the goal line and squared the ball back for Scott Palmer to fire home from five yards with the home defence looking very pedestrian. Okehampton did come back and a good ball in from Steve Madge presented a chance to Callum Ausden but his effort came back off the post, but Argyle just didn't get enough shots on target.
The game was settled in the 72nd minute when a deep in-swinging corner from Joff Bunt had the Okes' defence in all sorts of trouble leaving Jack Thompson to double Newquay's lead. Argyle brought on Cann for Ricky Wooldridge at this stage but this did not achieve anything, and the game faded out without a comeback for the Argyle.
Okes were forced to play a three man defence and they battled well all afternoon. Stuart Entwhistle, returning to first team duty in the middle of the defence, was Okehampton's best player and Steve Madge worked hard in midfield, but this was a game where at least a point should have been gained.