Saltash United 3 Mousehole 2

Saltash United lifted the Cornwall Senior Cup for the first time in 25 years at Blaise Park, St Blazey, on Sunday afternoon – but had to hold off a superb Mousehole performance to do so.

Having lost on their last five Senior Cup final appearances, the Ashes were taken all the way by the South West Peninsula League division one side in a pulsating match.

Saltash seemed to make the perfect start with a stunning volley by Sam Farrant from the edge of the penalty area after only 70 seconds.

And when Sam Hughes drilled a low right foot shot into the net in the 11th minute, it seemed premier division Saltash were on their way to a comfortable afternoon.

But two minutes later Mousehole’s top scorer, Jake Andrew, sent a diving header past Ashes’ goalkeeper Ash Clelland and it was game on.

Clelland, drafted in at the last minute after Ryan Rickard’s one-match suspension for a red card was upheld by the Cornwall FA, then made a crucial save on the half-hour, stopping another Andrew header from Kev Lawrence’s free kick.

Mousehole were forced to make a change just before half-time when Luke Johnson went off, but his replacement, 19-year-old winger Steven Ziboth, brought more problems for Saltash because of his blistering pace.

For the first 10 minutes of the second half the Ashes couldn’t get a hold of possession; the half started with Paolo Sousa spurning a great opportunity to equalise, dragging his shot well wide when unmarked 18 yards out.

The vastly experience Kev Lawrence then carved out a chance for himself, driving forward before firing a fierce low shot inches wide.

Mousehole were pressing in such numbers that they were vulnerable to a breakaway and one came from Saltash on the hour when Hughes set Richards clear through the middle. He would have fancied his chances of scoring but dragged his shot just wide.

Mousehole poured forward again, with William Vouama causing havoc, and from one of his passes, Lawrence crossed from the left for Andrew to head over at full stretch.

The Hughes-Richards combination produced another good chance for Saltash in the 71st minute and this time Richards’ low drive was tipped around the post by Steve Parker-Billinge.

Six minutes later the Ashes finally increased their lead, and again it was Hughes playing a ball through to Richards, who this time lifted a volley over Parker-Billinge into the net.

That should have been it but the referee decided to add some drama to the occasion in the 87th minute by awarding a dubious penalty, adjudging Richards to have pushed over Vouama.

Ziboth sent the resulting spot kick past Clelland to set up a nervous finish, with the Saltash keeper twice denying Ziboth with good saves as Mousehole pressed hard for an equaliser.

The drama and tension stretched into time added on, with the board indicating five minutes and the referee deciding to play eight minutes before Saltash could finally launch their celebrations.

Saltash: A Clelland, L Edwards, C Martindale (T King 80), C O’Brien, S Leary, D Barker, H Wilson (D Trott 74), S Farrant, S Hughes (L Phillips 84), R Richards, D Lewis. Subs not used: C Menhenick, T Clark.

Goals: S Farrant (2), S Hughes (11), R Richards (77).

Yellow cards: C O’Brien (31), H Wilson (59), S Farrant (63), D Barker (70), R Richards (87).

Mousehole: S Parker-Billinge, T Tonkin (C Davey 84), B Curtis, K Lawrence, L Andrew, C Eliot, L Johnson (S Ziboth 43), J Adlard (J Otto 81), J Andrew, W Vouama, P Sousa. Subs not used: Y Briar, P Williams (gk).

Goals: J Andrew (13), S Ziboth (87 pen).

Yellow card: J Adlard (51).

Referee: S Kane.

Official Man of the Match: Sam Hughes (Saltash).