Cally pay for missed chances as they exit Walter C Parson League Cup

THERE will be no repeat run to the League Cup final for Callington Town this season as they fell to defeat in the second round to visiting Bridport on Saturday.

Cally were once again without influential striker Fin Harrison who is set to miss several games with a fractured ankle, and were unable to take their chances in a game which saw both teams create plenty of opportunities.

The visitors had the first of those, striking the post from inside the box, while at the other end, home man-of-the-match Dan Alford got in behind and squared the ball, only for Kieran Ryall to send a shot over the bar.

The Dorset outfit had another couple of decent chances that they couldn’t get on target, before hitting the bar from a set piece, with the rebound somehow being kept out.

The Pastymen responded by forcing a smart save from Alford’s effort, before Callum McDonnell struck the post with a header as both teams went into the break wandering how it was goalless.

Bridport then took the lead just two minutes after the restart as a long throw was allowed to reach the back post where Euan Joyce stabbed the ball in.

That opened the contest up even more as both sides continued to get themselves into promising positions.

Cally piled forward in search of a leveller but failed to seriously test the keeper, while the Bees, who arrived in East Cornwall fifth in SWPL Premier East, could have sealed it on the counter-attack on various occasions.

Only a sensational goal-line clearance by a Bridport defender denied youngster Harry Barnes, before Barnes then hit the post in the dying moments as the visitors hung on to avoid a penalty shootout.

A bit of a scuffle following a challenge then resulted in the referee deciding to send a player from each side off in a game that had otherwise had been played in good spirits.

Cally joint boss Simon Riddle admitted their lack of killer instinct cost them dear, but admitted they could have few complaints.

He said: “It was a frustrating afternoon on the sidelines to have come away empty handed, we’ve had enough chances to win the game. But then so did Bridport, so a one goal difference either way was probably right although it was us who came out on the wrong side of it. The game on the whole was pretty erratic, but was a bit of an ‘old school’ cup tie in terms of it being so ‘end-to-end’.

Riddle doesn’t have the luxury of bringing in plenty of new players, and wants the current crop to seize their chance.

He concluded: “It’s a test of the squad now as we’ve got to deal with a few key players missing at the moment, but that’s no excuse, and the whole reason to have depth. Other sides are in the same boat, so we have to roll our sleeves up, take responsibility and look to get ourselves back on track.’’

Callington, fourth in SWPL, visit fellow high-flyers Camelford tomorrow night (7.30pm) before an awkward trip to St Mawgan on Saturday (3pm).

CALLINGTON TOWN: Jake Mead-Crebbin; Ed Harrison, Harry Southcott (capt), JJ Gill, Elliot Haxell; Dan Alford, Sam Hill, Callum McDonnell, Connor Pritchard, Kieran Prescott; Kieran Ryall. Subs: Alex Jacob, Harry Barnes, George Soper.

Callington Town man-of-the-match: Dan Alford.