Dyson's early brace leaves battling Clarets with too much to do

LAUNCESTON couldn’t recover from a disastrous opening three minutes at Pennygillam on Tuesday night when they conceded two Kenley Dyson goals – but they made an admirable attempt to do so.

The Clarets had hardly caught their breath from Dyson’s first goal after only 90 seconds, created by a sublime pass from player/manager Bobby Hopkinson, when the talented young midfield man popped up again to make it 2-0 in the next attack.

Some teams might have folded – especially one that had taken a 7-0 beating at Penzance on Saturday – but to their credit Launceston spent the rest of the game going toe-to-toe with a very good Camelford side.

It was a no holds barred battle with Clarets striker Lee Robinson in particular taking a battering as the home side tried to reduce the deficit.

Kyle Flew’s excellent 62nd minute goal appeared to put the Camels out of sight at 3-0 and it took a brilliant save from Howie Evans to keep out a Matt Andrew header two minutes later.

Still Launceston still refused to lie down. Kian Berry, who had starred since replacing the injured Sonny Dover after only four minutes, produced a fine finish in the 72nd minute to ignite new belief in the home side.

With Camelford reduced to 10 men following Hopkinson’s sin-bin just before Berry’s goal, Launceston suddenly bombarded the visitors’ penalty area.

And in the 75th minute they were twice denied by the woodwork as a Berry shot came back off a post and Tom Bullock’s header crashed against the bar.

The return to the field of Hopkinson brought calm back to the Camels and they saw the game through with few further dramas.

Camelford have now won three of the last four league games and Hopkinson appears to have found a new lease of life at the age of 36. Most of the team’s best moments involved him and only his sin-bin blotted a near-perfect contribution.

Launceston have lost five of their last seven games, but if they continue to put this much effort into matches, results will improve.

LAUNCESTON: Howie Evans; Ryan Dawe, Dylan Rangecroft, Nathan Lang, Jude Jago, Tom Manuel, Kai Alvarez, Tom Bullock, Lee Robinson, Louis Taylor, Sonny Dover (Kian Berry, 4). Subs not used: George Davies, Jamie Simmons, Sam Tattersall.

Goal: Kian Berry (72).

Yellow cards: Lee Robinson (28), not known (74).

CAMELFORD: Cory Harvey; Sam Watts, Dan Hocking, Tom Crowe (capt), Josh Harris; Matt Andrew, Kenley Dyson (Ross Beare, 88), Jacob Ham; Kyle Flew (Will Rees, 79), Bobby Hopkinson, Joe Parr (Olly Taylor, 61). Subs not used: Matt Gilmour, Piotr Maciejewski.

Goals: Kenley Dyson 2 (2, 3), Kyle Flew (62).

Yellow card: Matt Andrew (30).

Sin-bin: Bobby Hopkinson (69).

Men-of-the-match. Launceston – Kian Berry; Camelford – Bobby Hopkinson.