LISKEARD Athletic's hopes of winning the South West Peninsula League Premier West title are all but over after a 2-0 home defeat to leaders St Blazey yesterday.

It leaves them 12 points behind their rivals, with a game in hand, but only five matches of their season remaining.

St Blazey totally deserved their victory on a boggy pitch that just did not suit Liskeard's passing style of play, and it avenged their 2-1 home defeat by the Blues only a few weeks ago.

Veteran striker Andy Watkins was the star of the show for St Blazey, scoring one goal and setting up the other.

He gave his side a 27th-minute lead when he scored at the near post from River Allen's free-kick.

And he then set up Luke Cloke for the second in first-half injury time, with the former Callington Town forward finishing with aplomb for his 23rd league goal of the season, despite appeals from the home side for offside.

Liskeard can now concentrate on their Walter C Parson League Cup semi-final against Newton Abbot Spurs at Ivybridge on Tuesday night.

Full report and reaction on Liskeard v St Blazey in this coming week's Cornish Times.