Saltash are through to their second successive Cornwall Senior Cup final after a strong second half performance saw off Torpoint at Liskeard’s Lux Park on Tuesday night.

The Ashes, beaten by Bodmin in last year’s final, are determined to go one better and will face either St Austell or Mousehole in the Easter Monday, April 2, showpiece at Blaise Park, St Blazey.

St Austell and Mousehole play their semi-final at Helston on Wednesday.

There was little to choose between Tuesday’s two teams in a goalless first half. Torpoint striker Ben Waters had the best opportunity but was denied by an excellent save from Saltash goalkeeper Ryan Rickard.

Saltash would have been disappointed with their first half display but they appeared to step up a couple of gears after the break, and broke the deadlock in the 57th minute through captain Sam Farrant, who pounced from close range after a Paul Heveran piledriver had been kept out by Torpoint goalkeeper Jason Peters.

A minute later left back Callum Martindale almost doubled the lead with a fierce drive which brought the best out of Peters.

Perhaps the crucial moment in the tie arrived after 71 minutes when Torpoint lost their experienced central defender Lance Bailey to injury, and within two minutes Ryan Richards had made it 2-0 from close range after Richard Maddison’s cross from the right.

Torpoint seemed to lose their defensive discipline for a time and Richards scored his second and Saltash’s third in the 78th minute, beating the offside trap before rounding Peters to curl the ball into an empty net.

Richards must have thought he had completed his hat-trick three minutes later when he cheekily lobbed the ball over Peters towards the net but substitute Ryan O’Hea raced back to pull off a spectacular goal-line clearance.

Waters scored a consolation for Torpoint in the second of three added minutes at the end but Saltash finished as deserved winners.