Cornwall Charity Cup
semi final
St Blazey 1
Callington Town 0
(at Lux Park, Liskeard)
Just 72 hours after their tremendous league encounter, Callington again faced all-conquering St Blazey again and this time they could and probably should have come away with at least a draw if not victory at Lux Park on Tuesday night.
Roared on by a large contingent of Callington supporters, and the favours of most neutral observers, Town battled again from first to last whistle but again came away without their just deserts against a team who many thought would run away with this Charity Cup semi final.
Playing up the slope, the Saints had the majority of the opening exchanges with Glynn Hooper heading wide after 18 minutes.
Two minutes later, though, they had to thank their keeper Steve Taylor who won the race with the approaching Chris Tilbury to punch the ball clear after a good move from the impressive Tom Barwell.
Indeed the young striker was twice challenged in the area but, while some referees might have pointed to the spot, this one did not and the chances went.
Lance Bailey only suceeded in finding the keeper after another good move on 28 minutes while at the other end, Nigel Pugh headed over from a Harrington corner.
Barwell's second penalty appeal on 35 minutes went unanswered. The ball broke to two Town players but the Saints defence somehow cleared their lines.
Before the break, Saints had three chances of their own through Hooper, Daniel Nancarrow and Harrington but while Hooper's header cleared the bar, the other two were stopped by the again impressive Andy Brenton in the Town goal.
Two minutes after the restart Hooper should have broken the deadlock with a free header which cleared Brenton's bar, while two minutes later Barwell saw his free kick at the other end just shave the wrong side of Taylor's left hand post.
With 52 minutes gone, however, St Blazey made the breakthrough. Harrington's free kick was drifted into the box and Hooper headed over Brenton to score.
Back came Callington though with Chris Gerry, Matt Martin and both Simon and Mark Courts all impressing as did every Town player.
With eight minutes to go their best chance fell to Courts after a great move involving Barwell but his shot was struck wide of the right hand post.
Despite numerous injuries and time wasting by the Saints, the referee only allowed three minutes injury time and at the final whistle.
The feelings of the vast majority of the crowd were clear as they cheered the battling Town side from the park while questioning some bizarre decisions.
But the game has now gone and the team must turn their attention to the final six league games, starting with a double header of games next weekend.
A trip to Plymouth Parkway is followed 24 hours later by a home clash with Penzance.
It has been said before but has never been more true that if Ian Southcott's young side can produce more performances like the last two then they must surely climb out of the bottom two before the season ends in early May.
Carlsberg South
Western League
Callington Town 0
St Blazey 2
St Blazey entered this game without dropping a league point all season.
Callington on the other hand had slipped back into the bottom two and had conceded 96 goals so far this season.
They were without a number of players who had, disappointedly, declared themselves unavailable for this important fixture.
Another ten were injured,w hich meant that the team was made up of first, second and third team players.
For those still in touch with reality it was going to be touch and go whether the Saints would reach double figures.
In the event, the league champions-elect did win the game but the scoreline scarcely did justice to the heroics of Callington who battled from first whistle to last and came close to upsetting the league leaders on more than one occasion.
The fine weather brought another healthy crowd through the Ginsters Marshfield Parc turnstyles to enjoy the spring sunshine.
From the off the visitors set about the home defence and as early as the first minute Dave Band was denied by a fine save from Andy Brenton in the Callington goal.
But it also became clear that Town were not just here for the slaughter as they began to press themselves, attacking their favoured college end.
Geoff Battams set up Chris Gerry who shot just wide of Sid Taylor's post before the game took a tragic turn when Dave Jones suffered a broken leg on 13 minutes and the match was suspended for 25 minutes until the emergency services arrived and the striker was taken to Derriford Hospital.
On the restart, both sides took time to settle back into the rythym but soon Dominic Richardson had forced another save from Brenton, while Gerry again went close at the other end. Five minutes from the break, St Blazey grabbed the lead when Richardson capitalised on a poor backpass to beat Brenton to the ball and slide it past him and into the net.
The second half started with the Saints trying to kill off the game and they got a second after 50 minutes when Town defender Adam Bartlett's back pass eluded Brenton and trickled into the empty net.
That blow would have floored many sides but Callington are made of stern stuff these days and the side battled back forcing the Saints on to the back foot on occasions. When the visitors did get on the attack they found Brenton in unstoppable form as he made a series of fine saves.
In the final minutes both sides could have scored and at the final whistle the home side were warmly applauded by their supporters for such a fine performance under a difficult situation.
Callington travel to Lux Park for Tuesday night's Charity Cup semi-final with renewed hope.
Liskeard Ath 1
Truro City 1
Ben Goldring's 80th minute equaliser not only rescued a point for lowly Truro but also knocked their hosts out of fourth place in the league.
Truro had the better of the first half exchanges with Ian Baker making a fine double save to deny Peter Davey and Richard Young before Mark Trethewey and Chris Webb both went close.
Liskeard got their act together after the break with Jamie Ahearne and Justin Norman both forcing saves from Duncan Ayres before they finally broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute.
Graeme MacMillan's drive came back off the visitors crossbar for Andy Sargent to slot home the rebound.
Striker Lee Doncaster then spurned two presentable chances before Goldring made the Blues pay.
Torpoint Ath 2
Newquay 2
Phil Cardew's young side will look on this result as two points lost despite coming from 2-0 down to score twice in the last 18 minutes.
Koran Whitfeld headed against the home crossbar in the sixth minute before Torpoint dominated the next 20 minutes.
Brian Stacey and Sam Matthews both had chances to give Torpoint the lead before the visitors struck in the 26th minute.
Torpoint's defence failed to clear their lines giving Whitfeld the opportunity to drive the ball across Ellis Glassup and in off the inside of the far post.
Worse was to follow 12 minutes later as Nick Mayor's ball over the top of a square home defence put in Jason Warne to hit a fierce cross-shot past the exposed Glassup.
The game flowed from end-to-end in the second half before Torpoint gave themselves a life-line with Matthews pulling a goal back.
Just as it looked as if the visitors would hang on a deserved equaliser finally arrived when Torpoint were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area for a foul on Matthews.
Partridge powered the ball in and a fortunate deflection sent it into the path of Steve Sims who managed to shoot home through a crowded area.