By Kevin Marriott at Trefrew Park

SWPL PREMIER WEST (SATURDAY)

Camelford 1 Newquay 4

NEWQUAY overcame the severe winter elements and a stubborn Camelford side to open up a six-point lead at the top of the table.

While their title rivals were without fixtures, the Peppermints dug deep to bank another three points in their pursuit of promotion to the Western League Premier Division.

They led 2-0 at half-time thanks to two goals in six minutes just before the break from Callam Maconie and Harry Downing.

But struggling Camelford stepped up their efforts and were rewarded midway through the second half when the returning Ryan Downing reduced the arrears.

The home side’s hopes of retrieving a point, however, were ended by two goals in the late stages from Cam Turner and substitute Jack Bray-Evans.

Newquay boss Shaun Middleton said: “It was a tricky game in horrendous conditions, probably the worst I’ve seen in football regarding cold and wet combined.

“A few of the lads couldn’t speak at the end.”

Of the game, Middleton said: “I felt we dominated and controlled it and should have been out of sight at half-time.

“Camelford came at us in the second half and probably could have equalised but then we turned the screw again and could have scored a hatful.

“I was really proud of the lads after a hard win, they worked extremely hard.”

Those who arrived early at Trefrew might have wondered what all the fuss was about with concerns about the weather, because it wasn’t raining and the playing surface looked good.

But the bitingly cold rain, accompanied by a driving icy wind, arrived just before kick-off and stayed throughout.

There were good opportunities for both sides in the opening minutes with Josh Caddy spurning a great chance for the Camels and Maonie missing for Newquay a minute later.

One of the critical moments of the game came after only 12 minutes when the visitors’ captain Cam Turner stopped Downing going clear with only the goalkeeper to beat.

On another day it might have been a straight red but referee Matt Petherbridge decided to brandish a yellow and Turner went on to have a big influence on the result.

Maconie then had a goal disallowed for offside but he finally broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute, whipping in a vicious inswinging corner from the right as the wind-assisted effort nestled in the far corner of the net.

Newquay then doubled their lead in the last seconds of the half as a Turner free-kick from the halfway line on the left side saw Harry Downing running in from the right to send a bullet header into the net.

Camelford’s determination to get back into the game in the second half led to a quality finish from Ryan Downing with 20 minutes to play.

However, Newquay added two further goals late on.

When the referee awarded them a free-kick just outside the penalty area in the 84th minute there was a certain inevitability about the outcome as deadball specialist Turner curled his shot into the net.

Newquay’s positive day was complete when star striker Bray-Evans, beset by injury problems throughout 2024, came on as a substitute to make it 4-1 in time added on with a typically classy finish.

NEWQUAY: Brodie Cole, Jamie Edlin, Tom Moxham, Aaron Dilley (Ross Fallens 78), Harry Downing (capt), Lucas Potts, Tom Shepherd, Cam Turner, Callam Maconie (Phil Lowry 86), Jacob Grange, Coen Briggs (Jack Bray-Evans 87). Subs not used: Ollie Butterworth, Josh Evans.

Newquay man of the match: Cam Turner.