PENZANCE’S first campaign in the FA Vase after a 14-year absence ended in disappointment as they were narrowly beaten by Wessex League high-flyers Hamworthy Recreation in a thrilling tie at Penlee Park on Saturday.

The Magpies made a strong start to the match. Josh Magin had an early shot charged down then, set up by Silas Sullivan, Ollie Butler curled a shot inches past the far post.

The visitors also threatened with Eddie Hodge just unable to connect cleanly with a teasing cross from the right, then Harry Salmon saving well from both a Harvey Doe header and a shot on the turn by Hodge.

Penzance made the breakthrough, wowing the majority of a bumper 218 crowd, by taking a 36th minute lead with a bizarre goal.

Rec keeper Shane Murphy misread the flight of a Charlie Willis free-kick, from almost on the halfway line, the ball catching a gust of the strong wind and sailing straight into the net.

The match turned a few minutes later when the home side lost Mark Vercesi to injury. Without the commanding presence of their player-manager at centre back, Penzance failed to defend a cross whipped in from the left and Max Wilcock capitalised, glancing home a header to send the Dorset outfit in level at the break.

For a 10-minute period, straddling half-time, Penzance had a numerical advantage from the sin-binning of visiting top scorer Chris Long. But they were unable to take advantage and fell behind in the 57th minute.

Wilcock got his second, running on to an inch-perfect through ball and firing low past Salmon.

The scorer then turned provider, curling over a delicious cross from the right flank to which which Aaron Roberts applied a deft header, wrong-footing the keeper and leaving the Cornish club with an uphill task.

With a close-range header from a corner from the right, Charlie Young grabbed his third cup goal of the week on 82 minutes, moving ahead of Lewis Caspall to the top of the Magpies’ scoring chart and, most importantly, giving his side renewed hope.

It set up a grandstand finish with Willis going closest with an angled drive destined for the far corner, but captain Murphy sprawled low to his right to deflect the ball behind, and see the Wessex Leaguers safely through.

Penzance are back in league action in the South West Peninsula League Premier West on Saturday, November 1 when they welcome Launceston.

PENZANCE: Harry Salmon; Archie Reynolds (George Molcher, 65), Josh Turner (Hayden Waters, 86), Mark Vercesi (James Butler, 40), Ollie Butler, Ewan Trevains, Josh Magin (Jacob Trudgeon, 66), Charlie Willis, Charlie Young, Lewis Caspall, Silas Sullivan. Sub not used: Rohan Bennetts.

HAMWORTHY UNITED: Shane Murphy; Henry Barham, Bradley Hill, Aaron Roberts, Josh Toop, Harvey Doe, Eddie Hodge, Ben Satterley, Chris Long, Max Wilcock, Tom Blair. Subs: Ash Pope, Ashton Pickles, Tom Cooper, Martin Videnov, Jake Marvin.