News

Year 9 Football Team Crowned County Schools Champions

26 April 2019

Penryn College’s Year 9 Football players are this year’s County Schools champions, following their emphatic 6-0 victory over Launceston College at Sticker AFC on Thursday evening.

Three goals in each half complemented what was a fantastic, free-flowing performance from Penryn, on a Sticker AFC ground situated amid the serene Cornish countryside, populated with a number of Penryn’s supporters.

Penryn approached the game full of confidence, following their County Cup semi-final victory over Richard Lander School, and that confidence was evident from the off – as Penryn netted three times in the opening nine minutes of play.

Oliver Pickup opened the scoring after Connor Hurrell’s accurate pass allowed him to turn and lose his marker, before dribbling into the box and firing home, with just two minutes on the clock.

And just moments later Pickup doubled his scoring tally and Penryn’s lead, after some great build-up play allowed Ross Dunstan time and space to deliver a pinpoint ball to Pickup on the right-hand side of the penalty area, and he slalomed past two defenders before unleashing a venomous strike into the top right-hand corner of the net.

With Penryn’s confidence levels sky-high, they increased their lead to 3-0 with nine minutes on the clock when, in a reverse of roles from the second goal, Pickup delivered a pass to Hurrell on the right-hand side of the box, before he cut inside of the defender and hammered the ball home.

The remainder of the opening half saw some pressure on the Penryn back line – and each player dealt with the Launceston attack superbly – with Sean Fry, Morgan Blackwell, Oliver Perrow, and John Leach all contributing fantastically well.

Launceston continued their search for a goal early in the second half, but it was Penryn who netted the fourth of the encounter, and in magnificent style. Jasper Turner’s fantastic pass found Hurrell inside of the box, and he took a touch and curled the ball into the top left-hand corner of the net – much to the amazement of players and spectators, alike. 

With 15 minutes remaining, Penryn registered their fifth goal when Jack Symons’ fantastic strike meant the ball fired off the right-hand post and fell to Fry, who calmly side-footed the ball into the back of the net.

And Finlay Hudson grabbed Penryn’s sixth with a little less than five minutes remaining, after Blackwell’s free-kick from inside his own half fell to Hudson – and he rounded a defender on the right-hand side of the penalty area before striking a looping shot over the ‘keeper into the top right-hand corner of the net.

The final whistle sparked fantastic celebrations, before Penryn’s captain, Turner, held the County Cup trophy aloft with his teammates aside him.