Carlsberg South Western League

Liskeard Ath 1 Falmouth Town 0

Liskeard became the first side to beat Steve Massey's fast-improving Falmouth outfit in 10 games as they ground out this result at Lux Park. In a game of few chances played on a heavy pitch, both sides did their best to play open, attacking football. Falmouth, playing down the slope, were the first to show and in the 22nd minute Liskeard were almost the architects of their own destruction when Matt Hawke took an age to clear the ball off the goal line. The Blues central defebder was eventually dispossessed but thankfully for him Jake Ash blasted over the bar from the corner of the six-yard box. Falmouth were looking lively but Liskeard were playing the better football but it was not until the 26th minute they created a chance. Good work down the Falmouth left flank between Kevin Mee and Sam Matthews saw the latter's deep cross headed back across goal by Dominic Richardson for Lee Harvey's crisp header to be brilliantly pushed over the bar by Duncan Ayres. The chances came in fits and spurts as both teams cancelled each other out in midfield with the next chance of any note not arriving until five minutes before the interval. A long ball out of the Blues defence by player-manager Dave Leonard was taken on the chest by Harvey who turned his marker but shot weakly straight at Ayres. Minutes before the half-time whistle Falmouth could have gone ahead when a poor clearance by the Liskeard defence put Jai Crocker in possession. He ran down the Blues left before pulling the ball back to Paul Wolstencroft who hesitated with the goal at his mercy before finally firing wide of Simon Zinn's left-hand post. Liskeard thought they had justifiable claims for a penalty on the stroke of half time when a jinking run by Matthews was brought to a premature end by a swarming Falmouth defence and despite Liskeard's protests play continued. The second half saw the home side playing down the slope and gradually ascerting more pressure On 50 minutes a free kick on the Falmouth right by Matthews only needed a touch from Richardson but the Blues striker missed the ball by a fraction and it ended up safely in the grateful hands of Ayres. Not to be outdone, Falmouth had Zinn scrambling to save when a Crocker free kick had the Liskeard keeper tipping the ball over the bar. What proved to be the winning goal came on 67 minutes when a teasing left-wing cross by Richardson eluded everyone except Matthews, who arrived at the back post to bundle the ball past Ayres under a strong challenge. Liskeard could have sealed the game when a strong run down the right by Harvey ended with a cross for Richardson but, with the goal yawning, arriving at pace he could not control his effort and the ball flew over the bar. Both sides had opportunities in stoppage time when first Falmouth substitute Darren Burchell shot inches over the home bar and then when Liskeard's Jamie Morrison-Hill set up Adam Carter who dragged his shot just wide of Ayres goal from inside the six yard box.