Magpies beaten on opening day by Slateford's brace

HOLSWORTHY’S league campaign got off to a tough start on Saturday as Neil Slateford’s brace gave AFC St Austell a 2-0 victory at Upcott Field.

It took a long time for the Lillywhites to break down a stubborn and hard-working home side who were indebted to a brilliant goalkeeping performance from Ryan Chadwick.

But when the breakthrough came in the 68th minute, Slateford was the one standing on the edge of the penalty area to hammer a shot in off the bar after sustained pressure from the visitors.

Holsworthy pressed hard for an equaliser and were camped in the St Austell half in what was the 10th minute of time added on when the ball was cleared, setting substitute Haiden Chapman powering clear along the left.

It might have been tempting to take the ball to the corner, but Chapman was aware of two team-mates sprinting through the middle and his pass found one of them, Slateford, who finished the game off and guaranteed maximum points with another quality finish.

Holsworthy boss Kevin Squire said: “We’re trying to compete with a team full of top players and I’m sure come the end of the season they’ll be up there.

“I was happy with our performance to a point. We defended very well but when we pushed forward we lacked a bit of quality.

“We adapted quite well to the way they played, it was backs to the wall at stages, but it was a very competitive game.

“We were probably a bit short in attack, a little bit light up top. My challenge is to make us more rugged in attack and to put more pressure on opponents.”

St Austell might have been ahead as early as the second minute when striker Rubin Wilson found himself in space in the penalty area, but he sliced his shot badly and Kieron Bishop couldn’t quite stretch to get to the ball.

Wilson came close again after 11 minutes with a glancing header from Freddie Kemp’s right wing cross – this time his effort drifted inches wide.

The early onslaught continued with a goal-bound Slateford shot taking a deflection off a defender to just clear the post, while Olly Brokenshire’s header from a Callum McGhee corner was well saved by Chadwick.

The keeper was kept busy and had to make more saves in the opening half-hour to deny McGhee and Slateford, while the same pair had opportunities right on half-time, but both couldn’t find a strong finish.

Wilson should have broken the deadlock immediately after the break when he had time and space in the penalty area, but he couldn’t control the ball and the chance was gone, while 10 minutes later Slateford’s overhead kick from 10 yards was brilliantly tipped over the bar.

But Holsworthy’s resistance was ended with Slateford’s 68th minute strike, and it was then a case of whether the home side could find a way back. They pushed hard but rarely tested St Austell keeper Morgan Coxhead before being hit by the sucker punch late on.

HOLSWORTHY: Ryan Chadwick; Jeff Anglia, George Plumb, Callum Martyn, Jedd Peschke (capt), Rory Simmons, Jay Thomas, Gabe Rutter (Josh Down, 64), Jack Japes (Craig Duff, 59), Ben Sharpe, Gavin Carter. Subs: Chris Wildern, Lucas Elston, Austin Lewis.

Magpies’ man-of-the-match: Ryan Chadwick.