CAMELFORD produced one of the greatest performances in the club’s history to beat Southern League Mousehole at Newquay’s Mount Wise in a dramatic match which will live long in the memory.

With the tie standing at 2-2 in extra-time and only a minute away from going to a penalty shootout to decide who progressed to the final against Penzance on May 9, Camels substitute Cam Bidgood let fly with a left foot screamer from the edge of the penalty area and watched as it flew past keeper Ollie Chenoweth into the far corner of the net.

This sparked wild celebrations from the South West Peninsula League Premier West side’s players, substitutes, coaches and supporters with the final whistle following soon afterwards.

In this David versus Goliath contest it was a thoroughly deserved victory for Camelford and one which appeared to have been cruelly taken away from them after Liam Prynn scored a dramatic equaliser for Mousehole in the ninth minute of stoppage time to force the extra 30 minutes.

Camelford had held onto a 29th minute lead given to them by young striker Joe Parr for more than an hour with some heroic defending, and they were distraught that the referee had found an extra three minutes to add onto the seven already announced.

It was a body blow of enormous proportions and when Tallan Mitchell fired Mousehole ahead in the third minute of extra-time, the Camels looked dead and buried.

The whole ground seemed to be stunned into silence for about 10 minutes until the Camels were given a lifeline with top-scorer Ryan Downing firing in a superb penalty after being fouled.

Mousehole poured forward in a desperate search to find a winner, so much so that they left gaping holes at the back which were exploited by a breakaway which ended with Bidgood’s ‘goal of the season’ contender.

Suddenly the noise was back big time as Camelford supporters almost lifted the roof off the stand behind the dugouts and this time there was no time left for Mousehole to strike back.

There was a feeling in the air early on in the game that it might just be Camelford’s night after Mousehole ripped into their defence in the opening five minutes only to be denied by one brilliant Luke McCormick save and three strikes of the woodwork.

And the feeling was enhanced just before the half-hour when Camelford took the lead with an intelligent cross from the left from Kenley Dyson causing indecision between a defender and keeper Chenoweth, allowing Parr to move in to score.

Parr had wasted an opportunity six minutes earlier when blasting a shot over the bar but this time there was no mistake.

Mousehole huffed and puffed for the remainder of the half but the Camels were so well organised that they restricted their opponents to half chances.

Play followed a similar pattern in the second half and if it’s possible to be comfortable with a 1-0 lead, Camelford looked it. They even survived losing skipper Andy Boxall to injury midway through the half, with Bidgood coming on to fill the gap.

The Seagulls started to apply more pressure, and after a Jack Calver free-kick was turned away by McCormick, the Seasiders thought they had equalised in the 77th minute through Hayden Turner. However, a linesman was flagging for offside before the ball was converted.

That was as close as it got until the final minute of time added on.

An extraordinary, astonishing night of Cornish football. And Penzance manager Mark Vercesi, who was at the game, said afterwards: “I hope Camelford don’t play like that in the final!”.

CAMELFORD: Luke McCormick, Sam Watts, Andy Boxall (capt - Cam Bidgood, 70), Ross Beare, Tom Crowe (Josh Harris, 85), Dan Hocking, Kenley Dyson, Jacob Ham, Joe Parr (Mark Gusterson, 95), Ryan Downing, Liam Higgins. Subs not used: Olly Taylor, Matt Gilmour.

Goals: Joe Parr (29), Ryan Downing (pen, 113), Cam Bidgood (119).

Yellow cards: Ryan Downing (49), Liam Higgins (66), Luke McCormick (90+4).

MOUSEHOLE: Ollie Chenoweth (capt), Julio Fresneda, Kaleb Kadimashi, Ed Harrison, James Ward, Jack Symons, Hayden Turner, Alex Cairo, Liam Prynn, Tallan Mitchell, Tim Nixon. Subs: Jack Calver, Hayden Black, Gene Price, Mark Goldsworthy, Iestyn Harris.

Goals: Liam Prynn (90+9), Tallan Mitchell (93).

Yellow cards: Tallan Mitchell (67), Gene Price (77).

Attendance: 249.

Men-of-the-match: The entire Camelford team – impossible to pick one player out.