Falmouth Town 3. StBlazey 1

[The Town Man]

Falmouth Town 3.  St Blazey 1.

(Attendance 293)

 

 

Falmouth Town moved into the semi-finals of the county’s premium cup competition at sub-zero Bickland Park on Tuesday evening with a comfortable 3-1 win against near neighbours St Blazey.  St Blazey coming fresh from their excellent 1-0 win against Western-League table toppers Clevedon Town on Saturday.

 

Falmouth were without their two new strikers Oscar Massey and Rubin Wilson, both of whom were cup-tied.

St Blazey were missing ex-Wendron left back Reece Carroll, scorer of the winning goal on Saturday, who was suspended after having been sent off moments after his goal.  Included in the away team’s squad was Town legend Joe Cooper who started on the bench and now plays regularly for St Day.

 

Falmouth assumed the ascendancy right from the off with a series of good chances as they repeatedly stretched the Blazey defence, but they were met with what seemed like an immoveable object in the form of away keeper Shaun Semmens.  In a man-of-the-match performance, he made save after save and cut out a multitude of crosses as Falmouth searched for the opening goal.

 

That goal came after 14 minutes from an unlikely source. After 10 minutes, Blazey defender Aaron Dilley was withdrawn due to injury and on came Joe Cooper.  Unfortunately for Cooper, he headed the ball into his own net from just outside the 6-yard box trying to deal with a Falmouth cross after some more fine attacking play.  The move was started from another searching cross-field ball from James Ward. Jared Sims having the final touch for Falmouth in the form of a cross.

 

Falmouth continued to dominate and on 37 minutes the score was 2-0. From a Tom Annear free kick on the right, the ball was struck deep to the far post finding an unmarked Bradley Leivers.  He headed across goal to Luke Barner who bundled it in from 2 yards out.

 

2 minutes later and it was Jacob Grange, who was having an excellent game at right back, who ran to the far post to again score from a few yards out after good work from Olly Walker down the left.

 

Town continued to have the run of play but the score remained at 3-0 until the end of the half.

 

With the game all but won, Town started the 2^nd half with a little less energy, possibly with one eye on the big FA Vase match on Saturday and limited chances were hence created from then on.  Alex Wharton replaced Luke Brabyn 20 minutes in.  Again possibly to save Brabyn for Saturday in the absence of Oscar Massey and Rubin Wilson who are again cup-tied.

 

The game was heading for a goal-less half when St Blazey got one back after 69 minutes. A corner from the right cleared the outstretched hand of Morgan Coxhead at the near post and Luke Cloke converted to make it 3-1.  Was this to be the turning point in an unlikely come-back by St Blazey?

 

The visiting team tried to up the tempo but they could not create any more chances of note as Falmouth saw the game out to make it in to the semi-finals once more.

 

In the end it was a fairly stress-free cup-tie for Falmouth and they can now concentrate on the visit of Hartpury on Saturday in the 4^th round of the Vase.  A very tough game even though Hartpury currently play one step below Falmouth in the non-league pyramid.  Their league record reads P22, W19, D2, L1 and they sit at the top by four points with 2 games in hand on Clanfield 85 who occupy second place.  Falmouth will need to be at their very best to progress further.

 

Falmouth Town: Morgan Coxhead, Jacob Grange, James Ward, Tom Annear, Bradley Leivers, Andreas Calleja-Stayne, Jared Sims, Cam Hutchison, Luke Barner, Ollie Walker, Luke Brabyn.  Subs: Tom Fisher, Alex Wharton, Jack Webber, Max Everall, James Swan.

 

St Blazey: Shaun Semmens, Will Tinsley, Jed Smale, Jordan Pearce, Freddie Walter, Sam Clifton, Scott Piper, George Newton, Luke Cloke, Ryan Downing, Aaron Dilley. Subs: Isaac McCue, Joe Cooper, Tom Strike.