St Mawgan earn battling point in first floodlit fixture at Trevarrian Park

ST MAWGAN lit up the night sky for their first game at Trevarrian Park staged under floodlights on Friday evening – and fought back to earn a point against improving Wadebridge.

In front of a crowd of 130, it wasn’t a classic match but there were plenty of chances for both sides, plus a combination of poor finishing and good goalkeeping.

Decisions largely went against Wadebridge in the second half when they had a goal ruled out and saw several excellent opportunities stopped by the flag being raised.

Not that the home escaped, although skipper Tom Barnett might have been pleased to see it raised after he fired the ball wide of an unguarded net in the eighth minute.

Wadebridge responded immediately with Sam Wickins firing a shot from 20 yards inches over the bar, and a minute later Sonny Cooper provided a superb low cross into the six-yard box which nobody finished off.

After Jay Davie had seen an audacious overhead kick bounce off the top of the bar, St Mawgan carved out after great chance in the 13th minute when Craig Allen played in Johan Allen, but the onrushing Ollie Sidey blocked his shot.

Wadebridge responded in the 20th minute with Louis Taylor producing a superb cross from the left, but Joe Munday just couldn’t stretch far enough.

Three minutes later the visitors broke the deadlock with a Wickins deflected free-kick from just outside the penalty area on the left side that gave keeper Jordan Cole no chance.

St Mawgan almost manufactured an equaliser in the 33rd minute when Craig Allen produced a fierce shot which was well-saved.

But the Saints were level nine minutes into the second half from a low shot by Davie which took a slight deflection and crept into the far corner of the net.

Three minutes later the home side came close to taking the lead with Davie racing along the right before slipping the ball inside to Craig Allen, whose shot was brilliantly saved by Sidey.

After that, it was Wadebridge who stepped up the pressure and in between interventions by the linesman, they squandered several chances while on top.

But the home side recovered to have the better of it in the last 10 minutes and saw Alex Bicknell’s long throws caused plenty of problems in the penalty area without finding a finishing touch.

Bridgers boss Rowe said: “I thought a draw was about right. I felt we let the initiative go early in the second half, were too passive and got punished.

“We responded well to conceding and may have pinched it, but St Mawgan could also point to some opportunities that passed them by.”

He added: “We have found a level of consistency of performance now which should see us pick up points in the second half of the season.”

ST MAWGAN: Jordan Cole; Alex Bicknell, Owen Royes (Sam West, 83), Matt Sanders, Jay Davie, Jack Clarke, Johan Allen, Tom Barnett (Ollie Morrison, 72), Jack Piper (Aaron Rockey, 66), Craig Allen, Will Ludlam (James Andreetti, 58). Sub not used: Adam Coe.

WADEBRIDGE TOWN: Ollie Sidey; Ed Bowers (Jack Clarke, 58), Louis Taylor (Tom McLachlan, 75), Brad Rowe, James Baker (capt), Igor Piewiszko, Sonny Cooper, Kieran Rowe, Joe Munday (Ollie Allen, 66), Jacob Rowe, Sam Wickins (Dan O’Hara, 58).

Men-of-the-match: St Mawgan – Jay Davie; Wadebridge Town – Brad Rowe.