AN Alan Thomas goal deep into injury time rescued a point for the Fishermen in a game they should have wrapped up in the first half of a compelling Division One West derby at Gala Parc on Boxing Day afternoon.

There was only one team in it throughout the first half and Port have only themselves to blame for not having put the game to bed before the break. As Port boss Kevin Richards said: "If we'd taken our chances the game could have been over after 25 minutes.

"It was a strange game really because after we had completely dominated the first half, the longer the game went on the more Mousehole came into it and in the end we had to rely on a late goal to secure a point."

The home side created a hatful of chances in the opening period but only had a Thomas goal after 18 minutes to show for it. The Port striker was well placed to fire Dan Stidwell's cross past visiting keeper Ryan Gendall from close range

Before that goal Stidwell himself, Ed Timmins and Thomas had all missed clear one-on-one chances and later in the half Stidwell went through only to see the ball run out of play.

But the second half was a completely different affair as the visitors improved out of all recognition from their poor first half showing. Port keeper Richard Pennington, who had been a virtual spectator throughout the first 45 minutes, was finally called into action to keep out a Toby Cape effort after 50 minutes.

But he was beaten midway through the half when Jack Wing's corner was volleyed home by Perran Reynolds at the back post. And five minutes later the Seagulls went ahead when substitute Matt Gendall, making his debut in Mousehole's colours, sent over a pinpoint free kick for Mark Trevail to head in at the far post.

Port tried to get back into the game and Justin Searle and Matt Fox brought fine saves from Gendall, while at the other end Matt Gendall was foiled by a last-ditch tackle and Tom Patrick fired inches wide.

As the game moved into injury time it looked like Port were about to suffer a shock defeat. But just in the nick of time Thomas popped up to head home Fox's corner much to the relief of the home crowd and Ben Stidwell in particular, who was shown a red card for his over-enthusiastic celebrations of his side's late equaliser.

Porthleven: R Pennington, B Medlin, M Newbury (A Stidwell 45), T Rowe, P Gardner (J Searle 55), M Fox, M Perry (J Shainberg 80), J Thomson, E Timmins, A Thomas, D Stidwell.

Mousehole: R Gendall, C James, James Tonkin, M Trevail, P Reynolds, Jon Tonkin (M Gendall 55), J Wing (J Franklin 85), B Prowse, T Patrick, T Cape, E Ivanov (B Pappin 65).

Man of the match: Ben Medlin (Porthleven).