Cornwall Senior Cup: Falmouth Town's journey to the final

The 51 teams that started the competition in October have been whittled down to just two, with both Falmouth and Saltash having negotiated five matches to reach Monday's final at Bodmin Town's Priory Park (kick-off 2pm).

Town's cup journey began on October 6 when they travelled to Looe Town's Barbican Sports Field.

For many it was a case of how many Falmouth would score, and the answer was 12. Jack Bowyer provided one third of them with four goals as Town eased to victory against their less-fancied opponents.

Strike partner Matt Buchan also grabbed a hat-trick and substitute David Broglino bagged two, with Jordan Annear, Tim Nixon and Martyn Duff scoring one each. Noah Phillips did at least manage a consolation for the East Cornwall Premier League Division One club.

The story could hardly have been more different five weeks later when Falmouth welcome St Dennis to Bickland Park for the second round.

The South West Peninsula League Division 1 West club provided much sterner opposition and enjoyed a half-time lead - albeit against the run of play - thanks to Carl Rickard, who got on the end of Martin Sleeman's free-kick shortly before the break.

Staring an early exit in the face, Town picked themselves up in the second half and were back on terms on 57 minutes when Ryan Martt's flick-on was nodded home at the back post by Broglino.

Just when it looked like the Saints had done enough to secure an additional 30 minutes of extra-time, Broglino popped up again to break the visitors' hearts, volleying home Luke Johnson's cross with five minutes to go.

Another lower-division opponent rolled up at Bickland when the third round arrived in early January, with East Cornwall Premier League Premier side Polperro intent on upsetting the odds.

Falmouth eventually ran out 3-0 winners, with Marcello Jones, Luke Brabyn and Tim Nixon netting for Town, but it could have been very different had Ryan Barnes not made a magnificent fingertip stop from Matt Barton's six-yard header when the game was still goalless.

That result confirmed a third consecutive Senior Cup quarter-final and a third consecutive home tie for the boys in black and amber. Fellow SWPL Premier club Launceston were the opponents on February 2, and although the Clarets were enduring a difficult season at the bottom of the table, they had managed a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Town on the same pitch back in September.

There was to be no repeat of that result, however, as Town sealed their second semi-final appearance in three seasons, with Brabyn opening the scoring early on before James Ward doubled the lead before the break. Brabyn added another in the second half before Nixon completed the 4-0 victory.

The Senior Cup had now become Falmouth's biggest chance of success this season. A mixture of poor form and injuries had put paid to their hopes of league glory, with Town now well off the pace of the top three clubs.

But further success in the Walter C Parson League Cup - which Town had lifted last May - quarter-final at St Austell set up two mouth-watering opportunities for some end-of-season silverware.

The Lillywhites were the opposition yet again for Falmouth in the final four of the Senior Cup, with the two sides playing out their eighth encounter inside 18 months at Newquay AFC's Mount Wise stadium.

St Austell were the form side going into the tie, having won six out of their last seven league games, with a 5-0 thumping of title favourites Tavistock among them.

Town, meanwhile, had lost four out of their six league games in the same period. The omens were certainly pointing the way of St Austell, who will have also been determined to avenge that League Cup exit two months earlier.

But that form book flew right out of the window when Joe Cooper headed Town in front inside two minutes, and although the Lillywhites dominated much of the first half and levelled through Jack Calver, it was Falmouth who returned to the dressing rooms with the lead.

Luke Brabyn has cultivated a bit of a cup-specialist role, having netted in Town's League Cup semi-final and final wins last season, and he strengthened that reputation with a fine finish in the final minutes of the half to give Town a 2-1 advantage at the break.

Those in attendance were expecting a St Austell onslaught when play resumed, but Town were having none of it.

Instead they went on the attack and extended their lead on 53 minutes through Annear, with a fourth goal arriving just after the hour when Calver turned Johnson's cross into his own net.

Much like that Looe game in October, although not in the same context, it now seemed like a case of how many this relentless Falmouth side would go on to score.

The answer this time was none, although it certainly could have been more.

It won't have mattered in the slightest for Town come the full-time whistle, which confirmed their place in this season's final for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century.

Standing between Town and a 12th Senior Cup crown are defending champions Saltash United, who have graced the showpiece match six times since Falmouth's last appearance in 1997.

That day ended in glory for Town, beating Nanpean 2-1 in a replay. Can they do it again? We will soon find out.

• Follow live text coverage of the cup final on the Packet website on Easter Monday from midday, with kick-off at 2pm.