LISKEARD..........................................0
ST BLAZEY........................................4
ON the evidence of Saturday's performance little it seems can stop run away leaders St Blazey from clinching another League title. Championship contenders Liskeard had been expected to give the table toppers a tough game but the Blues bitterly disappointed and slipped to a heavy home defeat.
One can rarely remember Dave Philp in the visiting goal having a direct shot to save such was St Blazey's dominance. Dave Leonard did fire over in one attack and there was a short period of sustained pressure from Liskeard in the second half when the busy Andy Sargent threatened but with St Blazey remaining solid the outcome appeared in little doubt.
St Blazey led 1-0 at the break with inform Chris Hawke - three in midweek against Bodmin - their marksman having been set up by Justin Harrington. It was just the start the visitors needed as they continued to unsettle Liskeard with Harrington firing over from 16 yards and then having a free-kick pushed wide by the alert Paul Pethick.
Blues Jon Dawe did hook in a cross from he flanks which Philp claimed confidently but it was Pethick who came under the greater pressure again saving his side with a cracking tip-over on the stroke of half-time.
Within a minute of the restart St Blazey went two up Harrington again the provider with Ian Gosling the finisher when cleverly flicking the ball over the diving Pethick.
Midway through the half man of the match Hawke broke down the right and putting Glyn Hooper clear he was able to pick his spot for the third.
Substitute Andy Morris completed a miserable afternoon for Liskeard when he wrapped up St Blazey's 4-0 victory.
SALTASH UTD. ...................................3
PENRYN ATHLETIC.........................1
Saltash were forced to work hard for their victory over Penryn who proved to have a strong defence.
The Ashes first chance came after 12 minutes but Mark Skerton's volley went over the crossbar. Ashes went ahead just three minutes later when a free kick, taken by Nick Crawford, was parried by Andy Angove and Skerton was on hand to shoot home. Whilst Saltash continued to press Penryn held out well but could do nothing to stop Lee Harvey's volley from a superb crossfield pass by Richard Daly in the 38th minute.
Penryn improved their attack in the second half with Darren Burchell's shot in the 49th minute going over the bar. Lee Oldfield's shot in the 54th minute also ballooned over the bar. They pulled a goal back in the 81st minute when sloppy defensive work by Saltash allowed Darren Burchell to volley home from the edge of the box.
However their joy was cut short when the Ashes replied with their third goal less than a minute later. Lee Harvey's acute angled shot from near the bye line went across the goal and bounced out after hitting the far upright and Mike Preston followed up. In the 88th minute Saltash were awarded a penalty for hand ball but Nick Crawford's shot rebounded into safety off Angove's legs.
The Ashes were reduced to ten men in injury time when Mark Skerton was sent off following an incident involving Penryn's Peter Lewis.
HOLSWORTHY..................................3
CALLINGTON TOWN ......................1
Callington manager Ian Southcott was rightly grateful to the groundstaff at Holsworthy for their efforts in getting this match on but hw was even more pleased with his team's performance as, dispite the score, his young local side battled for the whole 90 minutes and with a bit more luck could have upset the odds against one of the league's inform sides.
Both sets of players can take credit in playing such a high standard of football on the muddy surface where many a player would have been concentrating on staying upright as the small crowd was treated to a quality game.
Holsworthy, playing down the slope, took the lead on 20 minutes when Alan Clarke headed past Wayne Wormald in the Town goal from a Matt Penry Chip and shortly afterwards Ian Rowe converted a penalty after Penry was upended in the box.
But to Callington's credit they did not lie down and came back at their opponents with renewed vigour and were rewarded on 35 minutes when a crisp Town move saw Chris Gerry shoot against the post but Gary Williams was on hand to poke in the loose ball past Adrian Lamerton.
Teenager Dominic Farris almost equalised for the visitors just before the break while at the other end Wormald made a good save to keep the game alive.
The second period was again an even affair and either side could have wrapped up the game before, with minutes remaining and Callington pushing for an equaliser, Dave Broad headed home the goal of the game from a cross by Dean Chidley.
After the result, Southcott was full of praise for another battling performance by a young and local side. To have now fewer than seven former Callington Colts players on the pitch and performing with the best was a credit to both the Colts and the Town as they continue in their efforts to build a true community club.
LEAGUE TABLE
P W D L F A Pts
St Blazey 21 17 3 1 83 19 54
Saltash 19 14 2 3 45 18 44
Millbrook 20 13 4 3 59 19 43
Porthleven 18 12 5 1 48 12 41
Liskeard 18 12 4 2 51 31 40
Holsworthy 18 11 4 2 38 25 34
Falmouth 17 9 5 3 39 15 32
Tavistock 18 8 2 8 27 27 26
Penzance 21 7 5 9 31 43 26
Torpoint 16 8 1 7 29 31 25
Newquay 20 7 4 9 35 45 25
Callington 20 7 3 10 42 54 25
Truro 21 7 3 11 32 44 24
Ply Parkway 19 6 3 10 28 46 21
Wadebridge 20 4 3 13 33 63 15
St Austell 19 2 6 11 21 40 12
Penryn 20 2 3 15 25 56 9
Launceston 17 2 3 12 16 48 9
Bodmin 20 2 2 16 22 68 8
** ** **
Results - Holsworthy 3, Callington 1; Liskeard 0, St Blazey 4; Newquay 2, Launceston 0; Porthleven 8, Penzance 0; Saltash 3, Penryn 1; Wadebridge 0, Falmouth 2.