Sticker 1, Falmouth Town 4

A SENSATIONAL goal from Jordan Annear capped a dominant team performance from Falmouth at a rain-lashed Burngullow last night.

Despite the abysmal conditions in the first half, both teams attempted to play football and Jack Bowyer was denied by Town keeper Harry McMellon in only the second minute.

Marcello Jones then shot over at the other end after good work by Annear, before the roles were reversed for Town's opener after 11 minutes.

Jones made an incisive run and laid the ball into the path of Annear, who slotted the ball past the advancing Sticker keeper Jamie Blatchford.

Town began to take control and following a short corner, Dave Broglino's cross found James Ward unmarked at the back post, but the ball skidded off his head and wide of the target.

Annear's stunner arrived on 27 minutes. The ball was played to him across the edge of the penalty area and he produced an exquisite turn to wrong-foot his marker before bending a superb right foot shot into the top corner.

Given the eye-wateringly difficult conditions, it was an incredible effort.

McMellon had to be alert to tip over an Andrew Butler free kick before Jones hit the stanchion at the other end with a fierce angled drive.

Town, with Jack Webber enjoying an excellent game full of bustle and enterprise in the middle of the pitch, continued in the ascendancy in the second period.

The width of the crossbar denied Annear a hat-trick after he headed Luke Brabyn's cross goalwards, before another splendid interchange with Jones saw Annear race away and shoot past Blatchford, but his goalbound effort was cleared off the line by a covering defender.

Midway through the half it was 3-0 when Walker burst down the left and hammered his left foot shot past a shell-shocked Blatchford at his near post.

In the absence of Town boss Andrew Westgarth,Falmouth's managers James Miller and Charlie Davis then rang the changes and one of the three subsitutes Josh Richards popped up with a fourth goal with 11 minutes to go.

There was still time for a late consolation from Bowyer, whose persistence paid off to finish off a scruffy goal from Falmouth's perspective.

In this sort of form, there may be one or two Hayle players having a sleepless night on Friday before their visit to Bickland Park for the Cornwall Senior Cup second round this weekend.

Falmouth: H McMellon, A Frier, T Annear, J Ward, J Cooper (capt), J Webber, L Brabyn (J Richards 74m), D Broglino (R Wearne 75m), M Jones, J Annear, O Walker (R Martt 72m). Sub not used: O Moody.

Packet Pick: Jack Webber - Tireless running and almost rounded off a fine performance with a brilliant solo effort at the end