Blues continue hot streak with victory at Wellington

TUESDAY, September 1 may turn out to be the most significant date of Liskeard Athletic’s season after a third successive victory on Saturday catapulted them up to second place in the table.

It was on the first evening of the month that the Blues suffered a humiliating, ill-disciplined 4-3 defeat at Ivybridge Town after leading 3-0.

Their first season back in the Western League could have turned sour very quickly; instead they have turned a big negative into a massive positive as a campaign chasing a second successive promotion is emerging.

Their win at Wellington on Saturday, courtesy of goals from Kai Gilbert (43 minutes), George Newton (59) and man of the match James Lorenz (89), propelled them to only one point behind leaders Bridgwater United.

It was also their third successive clean sheet after wins against Brislington (1-0) and Torpoint Athletic (4-0).

Having witnessed the meltdown at Erme Valley on that balmy – and barmy as it turned out – night, I would not have thought it possible for Liskeard to have recovered so quickly or so spectacularly.

But they have – and now they can look forward to a season where the prospect of promotion to the heady heights of the Southern League is not a pipedream.

Saturday’s victory was earned through hard work because in spite of their lowly position, Wellington proved a tough nut to crack and defended well until Gilbert’s second senior goal of his career broke their resistance just before half-time.

George Newton, whose form has been improving with every game, scored his first goal in five outings to double the Blues’ advantage just before the hour, and Lorenz rounded it all off by superbly converting Harry Probyn’s pinpoint cross a minute from time.

LISKEARD ATHLETIC: Ollie Chenoweth; Ben Cross, Ben Collins, Harry Jeffery, Josh McCabe (capt), Scott Sanders, Kai Gilbert, James Lorenz, George Newton, Harvey Mullis, Harry Probyn. Subs: Rio Daly, Toby Haley, Lance Bailey.

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