PROMOTION to the Western League moved a huge step closer for Liskeard after they completed the double over their only rivals for the title at Haye Road on Saturday.

James Lorenz’s 16th minute strike proved enough to earn a victory which pushes the Blues 15 points clear at the top of the table.

And even though Elburton have three games in hand, the likelihood is that the two results between these two teams will be the deciding factor in who goes up.

Liskeard won both by an early goal – a testament to their defensive excellence which has brought 15 clean sheets in 23 league games this season.

Elburton are the division’s top scorers by some distance, yet they couldn’t breach Liskeard’s magnificent defence on two occasions and their chances could be counted on one hand.

The combination of Jordan Powell, Josh McCabe and Matt Andrew at the back was like trying to get through a brick wall, with full backs Sam Gerken and Ben Collins playing their part with superb performances.

McCabe just about edged the man of the match award but it was a close run thing with young striker George Newton giving his all for 90 minutes before being taken off exhausted in stoppage time.

Elburton didn’t hit the heights of most of their performances this season. How much you put that down to their levels dropping off or to the way Liskeard kept them quiet is down to opinion. Perhaps a bit of both is true.

The game, watched by a short-sleeved crowd of 328, started in warm sunshine and as has become the norm for Liskeard, they started on the front foot and should have open the scoring after only eight minutes.

A superb long ball from near the centre circle by Max Gilbert caught out a defender who missed an attempted headed clearance and the ball fell to Bailey Mabin, who seemed certain to score. But he sent his volley from 15 yards high over the bar.

That was a let-off for Elburton but Liskeard’s next attack saw them take the lead. Lorenz and Newton combined to find a way through a crowded penalty area before Lorenz provided the final touch from close range.

The home side threatened an equaliser five minutes later with Calum Merrin bursting clear into the penalty area but his shot was claimed at the second attempt by Liskeard keeper Luke Gwillam, who had another edge game.

Then it was the turn of Villa keeper Jordan Duffey to provide the heroics as the game moved into stoppage time at the end of the first half, somehow tipping over a close range Mabin effort at full stretch.

Elburton’s best period of the game came in the 20 minutes after the break with a Charlie Patrick shot being tipped over by Gwillam and from the resulting corner a Liskeard player on the line managed to divert a shot past the post.

Then came a mad scramble inside the Blues’ penalty area with the visitors struggling to clear the danger but they managed it somehow to protect their clean sheet.

And as Elburton opened up in the last 20 minutes in their attempts to find an equaliser, Liskeard had chances to make things more comfortable with substitute Ryan Richards at the centre of it all.

Twice he set up opportunities for Newton, but he couldn’t quite convert a cross in the 77th minute before seeing an 86th minute goalbound shot deflected agonisingly wide.

Another sub, Dan Jennings, then set up Richards in the second minute of time added on but his 18 yard rocket smashed against the underside of the bar.

The referee, who had an excellent game, added on seven minutes but the Blues held on for a famous victory.

Elburton joint manager Danny Lewis said: “First thing – it was a great spectacle for the league – and for the club – to have a crowd like that was fantastic.

The game wasn’t pretty – but often these games never are. I thought it was kind of a stalemate – with nothing between the sides until we had to gamble the last 15.

“I felt they defended brilliantly across the two games and the last few years have clearly given them a steel and experience we don’t have yet.

“I’m so pleased with how far we’ve come from the culture and league standing last season and it gives us something to build on.

“Fair play to Liskeard – they the better team across the two games and to be honest Gilby, with all he’s done, probably deserves this after the last few years.

“We’ve now got to find the character of men and finish the season off well – playing as well as we have for 90 per cent of the season.”

Elburton Villa: J Duffey, O Newton (M Lucas 76), J Lee, J Rundle, S Leary, H Wilson, S Colwell (S Hughes 76), J Hamson (R Brown 53), A McPherson (C Rush 57), C Merrin (B Colton 83), C Patrick.

Yellow cards: C Rush (74), M Lucas (80).

Liskeard Athletic: L Gwillam, B Collins, S Gerken, J Powell (H Jeffery 70), J McCabe, M Andrew, M Gilbert, J Lorenz (S Sanders 83), G Newton (D Jennings 90+1), S Thomson (K Gilbert 90+4), B Mabin (R Richards 58).

Goal: J Lorenz (16).

Yellow cards: M Andrew (19), W Gamble (84), D Jennings (90+3).

Referee: Jordan Lee (Taunton).

Attendance: 328.

Men of the Match. Elburton – Jordan Rundle; Liskeard – Josh McCabe.