Mousehole’s last game of an eventful season took them to Plymouth to face already-relegated Vospers Oak Villa who are now likely to drop down to the East Cornwall Premier League. But this was by no means a dull and meaningless end-of season encounter, with plenty of spills and thrills on a very bumpy pitch and both sides putting in a full shift.

Player-manager Steve Parker-Billinge took the opportunity to manage from the sidelines and promote Reserves’ goalkeeper Adam Robathan, while giving 45 minutes each to 16-year olds Ross Bryant and Ben Chapman.

After St Dennis’ defeat on Friday evening at Liskeard Athletic, Mousehole knew that by avoiding defeat by more than two goals they would end the season in sixth place, only one below the position held at the time of the player exodus at the start of January. As it happened, their third consecutive win put them on level points with 5th place Penryn Athletic, though with an inferior goal difference.

With the travelling Seagulls’ supporters far outnumbering the home crowd, the game started with plenty of action, Adam Robathan making a great reflex save in the second minute to tip a header from a Vospers corner on to the bar. A minute later the pitch played a big part in Mousehole’s opening goal when a goalkeeping miskick left Ashley Smeeth with a simple tap-in. Smeeth pressurised the home defence again on 7 minutes for an angled shot which went in off both defender and post for 2-0. Matt McIlroy struck the bar with a 20-yard free kick as the visitors continued to carve out chances, Jamie Simons missing an open goal from close range and both Smeeth and McIlroy failing to capitalise on good approach play. The second half continued in the same vein, with Kevin Lawrence opening up the home defence on numerous occasions but wasteful finishing particularly by Caleb Marsden and some good goalkeeping blocks prevented the Seagulls from building up an emphatic scoreline.

Vospers came close as another header from a corner hit the crossbar, and at only two goals in arrears this gave them fresh impetus. Penetrating attacks by their substitutes down both wings led to goals in the 81st and 88th minutes to put paid to The Seagulls’ hopes of a third clean sheet in a row, and indeed an improbable third was kept out by Robathan’s point-blank save.

But it still wasn’t over, as Mousehole’s blushes were spared when half-fit substitute Luke Johnson drove in a low shot from 15 yards on 90+2 to claim the win that should have been secured much earlier, and overtake Lewis Caspall to become the team’s top scorer just in time for the club’s annual awards evening on Friday.

Mousehole: Adam Robathan, Josh Otto, Billy Curtis (captain), Jason Simmonds, Joe Davies, Kevin Lawrence, Caleb Marsden, Ross Bryant, Jamie Simons, Ashley Smeeth, Matt McIlroy

Substitutes: Connor Davey (for Ross Bryant, 46), Ben Chapman (for Jamie Simons, 46), Luke Johnson (for Matt McIlroy, 70), Steve Parker-Billinge

Mousehole Scorers: Ashley Smeeth (3, 7), Luke Johnson (90+2)

Referee: James Gould Attendance: 27