Wadebridge Town 1

Falmouth Town 2

(after extra-time)

For the second successive Saturday Falmouth Town won a cup match by the odd goal in three after extra-time after they defeated Wadebridge Town 2-1 in the Carlsberg SWL Cup at Bodeive Park.

With new signing Neil Burton unavailable due to work commitments and Darren Holsey cup-tied, Town boss Neil Phillips had more than a slight head-che when selecting a side for this match. Further unavailabilities included top-scorer Damian Stevens, midfielder Steve Coggin and Lee Oldfield. Wayne Hughes and Dominic Keen were drafted into the starting 11 with only Matt Pearce on the bench.

Withstanding all the pre-match complications Falmouth worked hard and in the end punished their hosts for not taking their chances. Wadebridge certainly created more of the clear cut opportunities during the match, but could only translate one of them into a goal\.

Wadebridge pressed forward in the opening stages, but some good defending by Ross Pope and Rob Troon thwarted the Bridgers. Falmouth created the first shot on goal from their first attack of the game; Darren Burchell - returning to his best - put a lovely ball over the Wadebridge defence to put Steve Proctor in on goal. Unselfishly Proctor squared the ball to Justin Ashburn but his effort went over the crossbar.

The game ebbed and flowed with neither side controlling play for any length of time, much of it mainly confined to midfield. Martin Murt, a thorn in Town's side all day, whipped in a cross in the 12th minute but good defensive work from Dominic Keen saw him muscle in to knock the ball behind to prevent a dangerous situation.

Wadebridge eased into the ascendancy after 20 minutes. Left sided winger Jonny May flashed a 20 yarder just wide, following some neat approach work,. Five minutes later a Town move broke down and Wadebridge flooded forward. Murt slipped a pass square to James Cudmore, requiring a well-timed tackle from Wayne Brown to deny a shooting chance as the Falmouth defence opened up.

The Bridgers took the lead three minutes later, in the 27th minute, through Colin Morris. Falmouth custodian Greg "Spike" White had called to collect a right wing corner, but a moment of confusion ensued when Brown attempted a clearance. Neither Town player succeeded with their intentions and consequently allowed Morris to steal in at the far post to poke the ball into the net.

It wasn't until the last five minutes of the half that Town began to threaten again. A flowing Town move saw Ashburn released down the right flank to produce a dangerous looking ball into the six yard box. Some quick defending prevented Leon Massie from collecting the ball in a very dangerous position.

At the start of the second half Wadebridge launched themselves at Town in an effort to snatch a second goal. Shaun Beare signalled the home side's intent in the first minute of the second period,with a burst from midfield which ended with him drilling a 20 yard effort well over the bar. Three minutes later Spike White made a great save from Cudmore to tip his effort around the upright.

It wasn't until the 54th minute that Town troubled Mark Gears the Wadebridge 'keeper. Brown, upon receiving a free-kick from Troon, advanced down the flank and slipped a neat pass to Massie, whose shot from the corner of the area was hit straight at Gears.

Town equalised after 57 minutes of play when a mazy run from Burchell created havoc in the Wadebridge defence. Seemingly incapable of being able to cope with the midfielder's prowess the home defence were simply content to half-clear the threat. Wayne Hughes, who played well in midfield, chipped the ball back to Ashburn to flick the ball into Ross Pope's path. Pope's shot was parried into the air by Gears, but he was helpless to prevent Steve Proctor nodding the ball into the unguarded net.

The Bridgers were keen to settle the tie in normal time and were unlucky not to do so with quarter of an hour remaining. A diagonal pass to May split the Town defence , but Hutley was unable to get on to the end of the May's cross when well positioned at the far post. A minute later a cross from the effervescent May was headed inches wide by an unchallenged Murt.

With ten minutes from time Ross Pope, put clear by a ball over the home defence by Troon, thought his lobbed effort was about to put Town in the lead until Simmonds cleared the ball off the line with Gears well beaten.

Little was created in front of either goal in extra time and provided nothing in the way of noteworthy events other than Hughes receiving a booking for a reckless challenge.

With the grains of time trickling away fast, and a replay looking increasingly likely, it was Town who broke the stalemate with a dramatic winner. An Ashburn cross was collected by Pope on the edge of the area and his looping shot over Gears dipped just under the crossbar to secure a hard earned victory for Falmouth and a place in the quarter-finals of the cup.

On Saturday's Town are way to Torpoint when Town return to Carlsberg SW League action. Kick-off is 3pm.

Town: G.White, D. Keen, W. Brown, S. Proctor, R. Troon (capt), R. Pope, D. Burchell, W. Hughes, J. Ashburn, L. Massie (M. Pearce 110 mins), K. Turner.