Mousehole Women finished off their season in fine style to secure a highest-ever 4th place in the Cornwall Women’s League by beating 5th-place Penryn Ladies 4-1 on Sunday.

This ‘home’ game was played in front of a large gathering of Seagulls’ supporters at Pendeen Rovers’ Borlase Park as the Trungle Parc pitch is undergoing major works.

Penryn started on the front foot and could have been ahead before Sophie Wilson put Mousehole into the lead after 15 minutes with a 20-yard shot into the top corner after a penetrating run through the heart of the visitors’ defence by Katy Barker, who suffered a painful injury in the process and took no further part in the game.

Chances were created at both ends before Carly Jacka put Mousehole 2-0 up after 40 minutes, breaking from the halfway line on to Sophie Wilson’s well-judged pass to score with a lob over the goalkeeper from 15 yards.

Three minutes later Penryn pulled a goal back with a lofted shot from the edge of the penalty area to set up an interesting second half. But it was the influential Sophie Wilson who got a crucial third goal for Mousehole on 51 minutes, cutting in from the left to place a right-footed ‘daisy cutter’ from 25 yards into the far corner.

Scarlett Clouter scored Mousehole’s fourth after 68 minutes when she drove high into the net from 18 yards after top-scorer Jo Barker’s run had disrupted the defence, but Penryn were by no means out of the game and to their credit they continued to attack, being denied on three occasions by outstanding saves by Seagulls’ goalkeeper Lyndsey Mayers.

Mousehole Women’s manager Dawn Bateman was understandably proud of the team: “Today we had to work hard to overcome a very good Penryn side and these players deserve all the credit for the togetherness, commitment and skill they’ve shown all season. This is the highest position Mousehole Women have finished in the league, and we’ve been beaten only by teams above us in the top three. It gives us something to build on, and next season we’ll be targeting a top-two finish”.

Mousehole Women (starting XI): Lyndsey Mayers, Flo Davies Kirsop, Lucy Brown, Lyndsey Williams (captain), Tamara de Silva, Claire Hitchens Todd, Carly Jacka, Sophie Wilson, Lena Mannon, Katy Barker, Jo Barker

Substitutes (all played): Stacey George, Lizzie Thacker, Scarlett Clouter, Megan Davidson

Mousehole scorers: Sophie Wilson (2), Carly Jacka, Scarlett Clouter