Taunton Town marked their return to the Cygnet Health Care Stadium with a convincing 4-1 victory over Mousehole, thanks to goals from Kane Simpson, Chris Zebroski, and a brace from Ben Seymour.
Fresh from Tuesday night’s win over Portishead Town, Manager Richard Luffman named virtually the same side that finished that match, and his faith was nearly rewarded early on when Finn Rooke rose highest to meet a cross, only to see his header sail over Chenoweth’s goal.
Moments later, Rooke again had his head in his hands after a superb diving header was brilliantly palmed over the bar by the alert Chenoweth, who was in defiant form early on. Youngster Tom Symons pulled the ball back for Bailey Croome, whose delivery was met by Rooke, just inches away from putting the Peacocks ahead.
Mousehole had chances of their own in the opening 20 minutes and it was Jake Ash’s side who opened the scoring on 23 minutes through Trialist A. A foul conceded on the right edge of the box led to a ferocious delivery whipped into the near left corner, catching James Walker off guard in the Taunton goal.
Just before the half hour mark, Alfie Moulden showcased some dazzling footwork to weave into the Mousehole penalty area. His lofted ball to the back post found Croome, but the winger could not quite bring it down, the ball just too high for him to steer under the bar.
Taunton’s persistent press paid off on the stroke of half time when new signing Kane Simpson opened his Peacocks account. A cross to the back post found Simpson, who poked home past the onrushing Chenoweth, the ball nestling neatly into the far corner to make it one all.
As with the Portishead match, Manager Luffman made wholesale changes at the break, introducing an entirely new eleven. Credit to the fresh legs, Mousehole were left chasing shadows in the second half as Taunton’s dominance grew.
The Peacocks took the lead on 67 minutes through Chris Zebroski. Jayden Nielsen’s drilled pass found Ben Seymour in the right channel of the box, and while it looked like he might go for goal, his clever movement outfoxed the defence before squaring the ball to the onrushing Zebroski, who finished coolly.
Seymour’s impact did not stop there. The substitute added two goals of his own to round off an emphatic pre season performance. First, Ryan Lane, operating unusually on the right, slipped a neat pass into Owen Brain, whose sweeping cross was smashed home at the back post by Seymour to make it three to one.
The final goal was a moment of brilliance. Brain glided past three Mousehole defenders before sliding in Seymour, who showed great composure to delicately lift the ball over Chenoweth for his second and Taunton’s fourth.
A competitive and entertaining fixture at the Cygnet Health Care Stadium sees the Peacocks win their opening two pre season matches. Next up is their toughest test so far, as National League South side Bath City make the trip to Somerset. Match details will be available soon across all our social channels.