LISKEARD fought back from 2-0 down, only to lose the penalty shootout their dramatic comeback had earned.

While unbeaten SWPL Premier East leaders Bovey scored all of their spot-kicks, the Blues – pacesetters in Premier West – saw George Newton’s penalty saved by Dom Aplin before Sean Thomson blasted his shot against the bar.

Liskeard started the tie in the ascendancy with James Lorenz seeing his shot from 10 yards blocked.

The Blues came even closer to taking the lead five minutes later when Bailey Mabyn’s powerful left foot shot was parried away by Aplin. The ball broke to Ben Collins on the edge of the penalty area and his effort was brilliantly saved.

In such a dominant opening 20 minutes the Cornishmen needed to have scored, and were behind 21 minutes in as skipper Lewis Perring won an aerial duel with Lorenz on the halfway line and pumped the ball forward for Ollie Aplin to run onto before lobbing keeper Luke Gwillam.

Lorenz had been left injured on the ground after Perring’s challenge and had stud marks on the top of his thigh.

After the goal, Bovey turned up the heat and Louie Roberts screwed his shot wide after 33 minutes when unmarked near the penalty spot.

Josh Webber had an effort a minute later which appeared to be tipped around the post by Gwillam, though referee Mark Bird awarded a goal-kick.

Bovey doubled their lead two minutes before half-time with a Stu Bowker penalty after Josh McCabe handled the ball attempting to clear a corner.

It should have been 3-0 two minutes into the second half but Webber, in plenty of space, sliced his left foot shot wide of the post.

Liskeard were handed an opportunity to get back into the game in the 50th minute when Mabin was tripped inside the box, but Richards’ spot-kick was saved by Aplin.

Bovey were reduced to 10 men when Cieran Bridger was sin-binned but the Cornishmen were unable to cash in, not helped by a magnificent performance from centre-half Dave Rowe.

Liskeard continued to attack with purpose, including Harry Jeffery’s shot hitting the angle of post and bar with 20 minutes to go.

But the Blues never give up and Mabin reduced the arrears with nine to play with a stunning left foot swerver from the edge of the box.

It looked like the visitors’ hopes had been ended in the fourth minute of stoppage time when skipper McCabe was shown a straight red-card for a foul on Aplin when he was sent clear.

But again Liskeard refused to surrender and in the seventh minute of added-on time, centre-half Jordan Powell toe-poked the ball over the line from a corner to secure spot-kicks.

Jeffery, Mabin and Max Gilbert scored confident penalties while Webber, Ollie Aplin and Bridger replied in style for Bovey, but the seventh spot-kick by Newton was brilliantly saved by Aplin.

Owen Stockton then put Bovey 4-3 ahead before Thomson smashed his shot against the bar.

LISKEARD ATHLETIC: Luke Gwillam; Ben Collins (Dan Jennings, 90+3), Jordan Powell, Harry Jeffery, Josh McCabe (capt), Matt Andrew, MaxGilbert, James Lorenz, Bailey Mabin, Sean Thomson, Ryan Richards (George Newton, 60). Subs not used: Scott Sanders, Matt Outtram.

Liskeard Athletic man-of-the-match: James Lorenz.