TORPOINT Athletic were made to work hard for their victory at Kellaway Park on Tuesday evening when they had to play for an hour with ten men following goalkeeper Ryan Rickard’s controversial red card.

The former Saltash man was given his marching orders for apparently handling the ball outside his area, that after the visitors had raced into a two-goal lead with a brace from Joe Rapson within the opening 25 minutes.

The Point made the long trip to West Cornwall unbeaten all season, while the Blues had also started well following relegation, including a 3-2 success at Wellington on Saturday.

In the opening ten minutes, both sides started with a high tempo trying as they tried to find a way through.

Moments later, Torpoint’s Curtis Damerell crossed the ball into the area to the waiting Rapson, but his header went just wide of the far post from 12 yards.

Just past the quarter-hour mark, Torpoint took the lead when a neat flick by Damerell was found by Rapson to fire home past Morgan Jones.

Seven minutes later the visitors were 2-0 in front when Dave Barker played in Rapson to fire home a fantastic left-footed volley past Jones.

On 31 minutes, Torpoint were reduced to ten men when the onrushing Rickard was trying to beat a home striker to the ball.

He somehow got there first and kicked the ball the away, however referee Alan Barnett adjudged that Rickard handled the ball outside his area and gave him a red card.

The visiting management had to reorganise the team as full-back Freddie Chapman stood in as goalkeeper (only his second time in his senior career) with the unfortunate Rapson being substituted for Sam Hepworth to bolster the defence.

Torpoint held on to their two-goal advantage until the break and then had time regroup at half-time.

Even with ten men in the second half, the visitors stood their own as Helston could not break down the visitors’ hard-working defence, with Chapman commanding his position between the sticks.

Just before the hour mark, Hepworth blazed through the home defence with a run encompassing two thirds of the pitch, but his effort just went wide of the far post.

Torpoint then held possession for the next ten minutes with Sam Pearson outstanding on the left-hand side throughout the match.

The visitors still created chances late on via sub Ryan Richards, Pearson and Hepworth, as they made it six wins from seven in the league.

HELSTON ATHLETIC: Morgan Jones; Freddie Kemp, Tom Whipp (Rocco Hill, 73), Jake Warman (Noah Teagle, 64), Max Hill, Connor Paine, Olly Redd, George Marris (Josh Daniel, 73), Matt Searle, Jude Tripconey (Liam Eddy, 54), Phil Cattran. Sub not used: Sam Pallett.

TORPOINT ATHLETIC: Ryan Rickard; Dave Barker, Freddie Chapman, Owen Haslam, Callum O’Brien, Elliott Crawford (capt), Joe Rapson, (Sam Hepworth, 32), James Rowe (Darren Hicks, 64), Curtis Damerell, (Ryan Richards, 78), Sam Pearson, Callum Martindale (Sam Morgan, 73). Sub not used: Rory Simmons.

Torpoint Athletic man-of-the-match: Freddie Chapman.