SALTASH United kept their hopes of lifting the Toolstation Western League Premier Division crown alive with a hard-fought 3-2 victory at mid-table Ashton and Backwell last night.

The Ashes were missing a few, and called on the services of Liskeard Athletic duo Harvey Mullis and Harry Jeffery, Jordan Ewing from Ivybridge, and Josh Newman to help fill out their squad.

They appeared to be cruising at the break when they led 3-0, courtesy of a Mike Smith goal and two Adam Carter penalties.

But injuries to Smith, Charlie Elkington – who was taken to hospital with a badly swollen ankle – and Mullis did not help their cause, and Ashton and Backwell took advantage of a very strong wind that started to blow into the Ashes' faces in the second half to hit back.

They reduced the deficit to 3-1 in the 74th minute when Jamarni Langlais finished after Saltash failed to clear a corner, and they repeated the trick from another corner in the 87th minute, again through Langlais, with appeals for a foul on Saltash goalkeeper Jordan Duffey waved away by referee Jordan Lee.

The Ashes were indebted to Duffey for a stunning save from substitute Alfie Cummings in the third minute of injury time for keeping their title hopes intact.

The title will be decided tomorrow when Mousehole entertain 15th-place Wellington and Saltash host seventh-spot Shepton Mallet.

Mousehole have a two-point lead and a three-goal better goal difference, so a draw could be enough for them, depending on the margin of any Saltash victory.