Liskeard Ath 0

Saltash Utd 1

This was not a game for the purists at Lux Park, which basically saw the home side stick to their game-plan and Saltash fail to break it down.

Although it was yet another defeat, Liskeard manager Leigh Cooper was still able to take positives from the performance.

'A good response from the players after the disappointment of the Millbrook Cup game, as I felt we gave them a very good game and, on another day, maybe we would have gained a deserved point,' explained the Blues boss.

The result was not the only downside for Cooper, who watched three of his players limp out of the action.

'Unfortunately we lost three of our better players through injury, and they all look to be possible long-term,' he admitted.

Saltash manager Kevin Hendy was far from pleased with the game... although three points were vital for his side if they were to stay in touch with the leading pack.

'We appeared to be still celebrating Christmas and, consequently, it was a poor first-half performance from us. But I will give credit to Liskeard, who got men

behind the ball and closed us down very quickly,'

explained Hendy.

'After a severe rollicking, during the interval, we returned a much improved side but still nowhere near our best.

'The goal was fortunate, but I think on the overall game we deserved it, especially on the amount of chances we created in the second period. We will be demanding a big improvement over the New Year.'

Saltash played up the Lux Park slope in the first half, but they were left frustrated as Liskeard closed them down.

Liskeard had a seventh-minute opportunity to open the scoring when Mike Norman's 15 yard shot was tipped over the bar by Saltash goalkeeper Kenny Griffiths.

Saltash's only reply came on 22 minutes when Ian Baker denied Marc Thorne from close-range after the Ashes striker had forced his way into the box.

Saltash improved after the break, and almost scored on 54 minutes when Paul Madden left-wing cross found Shaun Manley hanging in the air to send his header back across Baker, only to come back off the far upright.

The only goal came on 68 minutes when Danny Lewis found Madden just outside the Liskeard area.

For once, the Blues' defence allowed him the room he needed to tee up a shot that appeared to take two deflections before creeping, low inside Baker's far post.

The Ashes went close to adding to their score eight minutes later when Lewis fed the ball into the path of Carlton Farnham, but his a shot, from the angle of the six-yard-box, flew across goal and wide.

Substitute Robbie Priddle, who had been brought into the action midway through the second half, could have doubled his side's lead six minutes from time.

Kenny Griffiths' long ball found the second team's top-scorer racing into the area, only for Baker to spread himself and deny the young striker with a fine save.