Saltash United have played better than this and lost this season – but their performance at Trevassack Park was enough to give them passage into the next round of the Senior Cup.

This tie certainly qualified as a potential 'banana skin', especially as the Ashes found it hard to deal with Hayle's tactics, and it was not until the last minute of the tie that substitute Gavin Coulton drove home their second goal.

Ashes manager Kevin Hendy did not hold the same opinion, though, as he said: 'It was a comfortable win and the net result was never in doubt against a young but hard-working opponent. The playing surface at Trevassack Park was exceptional, and if you can't play football on that then you can't play on anything.'

Hendy was full of praise of praise for his hosts, saying: 'Hayle were welcoming and looked after us very well and, although they were a bit physical on the pitch, it was nothing that we couldn't handle.'

Hendy's side always looked the more likely to score and could have eased their nerves on ten minutes when Sam Wright passed the ball into the feet of Marc Thorne, who cleverly sent in Matt Cusack – but the winger screwed his shot wide from 12 yards.

The lead was finally attained on 22 mintues when Sam Hughes ran on to Cusack's through-ball, only to be brought down in the area by Hayle sweeper Rob Johns.

Marc Thorne promptly powered his penalty kick past Davie Cheal to register his first goal, in an injury-blighted season, since mid-September.

Saltash's next real chance came ten minutes before

the break as defender Dave Smith won his tackle in the Hayle area to regain his feet and drive the ball across goal but wide of the far post.

Hayle did enjoy slightly more possession after the break, but returning Ashes goalkeeper Paul Hider only had one real save to make when he did well to keep out Joe Cooper's header.

Saltash replied with Chris Menhenick's free-kick finding the head of substitute Gavin Coulton, but his effort was pushed around the post by Cheal.

The Ashes had to wait until the last minute of normal time to seal victory when Cusack broke down the left to release Hughes, who drew Cheal before sliding the ball into the path of the onrushing Coulton who drilled his shot home from ten yards.