A 90TH-MINUTE goal from substitute Matt Searle saw St Austell dump one-league-higher Saltash United out of the Cornwall Senior Cup with a 1-0 victory at Poltair Park.
Searle fired home after a goalmouth scramble from a corner to send the Lillywhites through to the last eight after a tight game.
The Ashes, missing their two top scorers, lacked the cutting edge to turn some of their good play into goals, while they were also thwarted by a fine defensive display from St Austell, for whom goalkeeper Harry Ashton impressed.
Tylor Love-Holmes shot just wide of the far post, while Aaron Goulty and Love-Holmes both had efforts cleared off the goal line as the Ashes searched to break the deadlock.
St Austell manager Chris Knight said: "We had a game plan, we had to stay patient, we knew we wouldn't have much of the ball, but I thought our game plan was spot on.
"We eagerly await the draw now and anyone at home we will take."
Ashes boss Macca Brown commented: "Congratulations to St Austell. They came out with a really effective game plan and they waited for that set piece, that moment, and they got it, but we have to look at ourselves. When you don't score when you are on top, the belief in the other side grows."
Full report and more reaction in next week's Voice and Cornish Times newspapers.