CARLSBERG SOUTH WESTERN LEAGUE Liskeard 0 Bodmin Tn 4 AFTER an excellent run which has taken them to the top of the league, the Blues suffered a crushing reality check at Lux Park as reigning champions Bodmin reminded all and sundry they are not ready to surrender their title. It may have been the rarified atmosphere at the top of the table, or the extra significance placed on this match, but Liskeard looked a pale shadow of their normal selves for most of this game. Bodmin came to Lux Park still smarting from the manner of their recent 3-0 cup defeat by the Blues and Town captain Darren Gilbert admitted this was all the motivation he, and his team-mates, required. 'We had a point to prove today, both to Liskeard and to the rest of the league, and I think we did it,' said Gilbert after the game. Liskeard boss Allan Evans felt there were several reasons why his side did not really perform against Bodmin. 'Maybe we lacked a little bit of energy today and they (Bodmin) started really well,' said Evans. 'We also missed a lot of chances and while, on other occasions, this has not mattered because we have defended well and restricted opponents, today this was not the case,' added the Blues' manager. While Evans may have a point, it is also fair to say that Bodmin also missed plenty of chances on goal, so perhaps, in Evans' words, it was 'just a bad day at the office'. That said though, Liskeard were also riding high this time last season before fading away, so work may have to be done to prevent a similar ending to the season. Liskeard received a dose of their normal medicine from Bodmin as they tore into their hosts and fired a warning shot as early as the 12th minute when Mark Berry headed against the home woodwork. The home cause was also not helped by an understandably nervous debut from former Exeter City goalkeeper James Davies, in for the unavailable Simon Zinn. Davies was all at sea for Bodmin's 22nd-minute opener, racing off his line and then stopping, allowing Danny O'Hagan to lob the ball home from 30 yards. Bodmin doubled their lead three minutes later when Davies did well to save Berry's initial shot, but he could only watch as O'Hagan followed up to fire home the loose ball. Liskeard tried to mount a comeback but wasted several chances to score to leave themselves a mountain to climb after the break. To makes matters worse, Bodmin proceeded to demonstrate how chances should be taken. Six minutes into the second period, Glen Squires calmly slotted the ball home to give his side a three-goal cushion. Changes in personnel and formation also failed to help the home cause against a Bodmin side now strutting confidently around the pitch. It was no real surprise when Town scored a fourth goal, three minutes from time, when Squires made the most of acres of space to pick his spot and shoot home from six yards. Evans refused to be completely deflated and vowed his team would learn from this somewhat chastening experience. 'We didn't deserve the points today – Bodmin did – but we will take this defeat on the chin, put it behind us and look forward to the next match so we can bounce back,' he stated. Saltash United 3 Newquay 1 THIS victory moved the Ashes to within a point of third-placed St Blazey, with a game in hand, thus moving them ever closer to a place in the new Premier Division. After a shaky start to the season when, in fairness, the Ashes were bedding in their new-look team and management, the Kimberley Stadium side have gone from strength to strength. This latest win not only sees the Ashes up into fourth place but also increases the cushion between themselves and those below them struggling for qualification. 'We are all well aware that this win was a big step forward in terms of where we will be in the set-up next season,' said Saltash assistant manager Kevin Hendy. 'Newquay are one of our rivals for a top division spot and had been on a good run, and that made this a six-pointer, so we are delighted to not only record another win but also put a dent in a contender,' he added. Hendy, standing in for the unavailable manager Tim Halford, also admitted being very happy with his side's performance. 'We had a game plan which involved utilising the pace of Marc Thorne and Carl Pender up front, and the whole team adapted very well, especially the strikers, who were outstanding,' he added. Saltash bossed this game from start to finish and were two goals up at the break through Thorne and Steve Sargison, and even allowed themselves the luxury of Thorne seeing a first-half penalty saved by Newquay's excellent goalkeeper Scott Palmer. The Peppermints sneaked a goal back, five minutes after the break, through Daniel Nancarrow. Ashes defender Tony Bouch showed his strikeforce how penalties should be taken in the 65th minute when he sent Palmer the wrong way after a foul on Stuart Clark by Bradley Ralph. Whisper it quietly, but Saltash are now just three points off top spot in the league and only Bodmin have games in hand on them. The long-awaited ground improvements are in full swing, and the job of readying Kimberley for the new league is well underway. Despite all this, Hendy refused to get carried away. 'Our first priority is to get into the top level of the new league set-up, and anything else is a bonus. 'All we are focusing on is our next match. That's how we have approached things all season, and that is how we will continue to do so,' he concluded. Torpoint Ath 1 Porthleven 0 THE champagne corks were popping at The Mill after this long-overdue victory, which lifted Torpoint into 14th place in the league table. This win marked an end to a spell which saw Torpoint lose four matches on the trot and also go 430 minutes without scoring – so the home dresing room was understandably ecstatic afterwards. 'We are delighted with this win because the lads worked hard and played some good football today, fully deserving the win,' said a delighted assistant manager Gary Tiffany. 'It was a very good game of football and there was little to choose between the two sides, especially in the first half, but we got our reward after the break.' Tiffany was in charge of the team, along with general manager Ricky Cardew, as manager Ian Stephens was unavailable. Although the first half was end-to-end, unfortunately both sides were largely shot-shy and the result was a few long-range efforts that were easily dealt with. After the break it was Torpoint that emerged with the bit between their teeth and Porthleven found themselves pushed back by their youthful hosts. It seemed that it might be business as usual for Torpoint when Paul Partridge saw his 20-yard shot rebound off a Porthleven post to safety, but the home suffering was to end 11 minutes later. Torpoint substitute Darren Edwards' first real contribution was to send over a left-wing cross, and to the delight of those in the Torpoint camp, the ball was thumped into the roof of the Porthleven net from 12 yards by Ben Waters. Even a 75th minute penalty save by visiting goalkeeper Steve Taylor, from Gary Williams following a foul on Steve Colwell, failed to dampen the celebrations in what was a very happy home clubhouse on Saturday evening. Callington Town 0 Launceston 3 CALLINGTON'S loyal band of workers received scant reward for all their hard toil on the Ginster's Marshfield Parc pitch to ensure this local derby was played. Three goals conceeded and a red card awarded against then was definitely not what Town manager Geoff Battams wanted. 'I think Launceston were worthy winners on the day, despite us being down to 10 players,' admitted Battams. 'There were some plusses, but I am gutted overall as the team produced a very disappointing performance – we were not at the races,' added the Callington boss. Launceston, chasing a Peninsula League Premier Division spot next season, settled quickly and soon had their youthful hosts on the defensive. The Clarets finally made their pressure tell in the 26th minute when Dan Rodgers picked up a loose ball and fired it home from 15 yards. Worse came for Town nine minutes later when Danny Zalick's dissent earned him a red card and Launceston quickly made their advantage tell when Dan Tilley netted just before the break. Callington can take heart from their fighting spirit after the interval, with goalkeeper Dan Johnson coming to the fore, making a string of fine saves. Launceston did score once more, Jason O'Brien heading home a Matt Hutchings free-kick in the 64th minute, but Town's never-say-die attitude, coupled with a tremendous work-rate, made sure the floodgates never opened. However, if Callington are to progress up the league table, then Battams is going to have to address the problem of finding a goalscorer,p and that, as many other clubs will quite happily agree on, is no easy task.