LUKE Johnson scored a late winner as Falmouth Town staged a marvellous comeback to reach the semi-finals of the Walter C Parson League Cup for the third successive season.

The 2018 champions fell behind after less than 60 seconds when Levi Landricombe fired in for the visitors, before an own goal restored parity ten minutes into the second half.

An own goal of their own put the Green and Blacks back in front on 70 minutes, but David Broglino levelled from the spot in the 83rd minute, before Johnson fired in the winner with fewer than three minutes left of the 90.

Town will now have to get past either Bovey Tracey or Mousehole to reach what would be their third League Cup final in a row.

Town’s evening got off to the worst possible start with the visitors opening scoring inside the first 60 seconds. Callum McGhee cut in from the left flank and played it to Landricombe in the box, whose first-time effort found the far corner.

Despite their early deficit, Town went on to dominate the remainder of the first half and were calling for a penalty in the tenth minute when Luke Barner closed down Liam Joyce's clearance and subsequently went down under the ‘keeper’s challenge, but the referee gave the decision the other way.

The hosts were almost level in some style two minutes later, with James Ward heading down David Broglino's corner kick towards the in-form Johnson, whose overhead kick flew narrowly wide.

Johnson was involved again midway through the half when he was alert to pounce on a weak pass and raced in on goal. His path was blocked but the ball fell to Luke Brabyn on the edge of the box, whose effort was wide of the mark.

Town’s best chance of levelling before the break came in the final chance of the half. A spell of good build-up play saw Barner send an inch-perfect cross onto the head of Johnson six yards out, but the forward’s header was straight at Joyce.

But the 2018 cup winners were on terms ten minutes into the second half, with Johnson's right-wing cross being turned into the net by a visiting defender.

A dramatic minute followed shortly after with Jordan Walton seeing his free kick take a deflection onto Ryan Barnes’ crossbar. The hosts countered through Brabyn and his initial shot was saved by Joyce, with the frontman blasting the follow-up over from a tight angle.

Town were beginning to dominate once again as Barner tested Joyce from the edge of the box, before Johnson drove a shot into the side netting.

But Blazey were back in front in the 69th minute thanks to an own goal of their own, with Callum McGhee's shot being diverted past Barnes by the outstretched leg of the unfortunate Ward.

The visitors almost doubled their lead when Walton's long-range free kick looked to be flying towards to the top corner, only to be clawed away by Barnes. Ward almost made amends at the other end moments later but saw his attempts to bundle home from Broglino's corner denied by a goal-line clearance.

But Town earned a lifeline with seven minutes of the 90 left to play when substitute Ryan Chinn was hauled down in the box, with Broglino firing the penalty kick down the middle for his 16th goal of the season and sixth in three League Cup ties.

That goal looked to be sending the game to extra time, but Town didn’t need it and scored again in the 87th minute. Ward kept an attack alive by playing back to Chinn, whose through ball was met by Johnson, whose shot took a helpful deflection to send it past the helpless Joyce.

The visitors threw men forward in stoppage time and almost conceded a fourth when Barner was left on his own to meet a clearance, but he was denied the chance to clinch it thanks to a fine stop from Joyce.

Falmouth: R Barnes, S Kellow, O Moody (R Chinn 55), M Duff, J Cooper, J Ward, L Johnson, D Broglino (R Martt 90), L Brabyn, L Barner, T Nixon (C Allen 74). Subs (unused): R Kellow, R Wearne.