Duchy Football League review, February 27

Knockout Cup

SAINTS GO MARCHING ON:

AFC St Austell are through to the quarter-finals of the KMD Developments Knockout Cup.

Second half goals from Ben Douglas and Nick Bennetts saw them through after being frustrated by home team St Dennis in the opening period.

Premier Division

FOWEY'S HOPES SLIP:

Reigning Premier Division champions Fowey United saw their title retention hopes slip after a 4-2 home defeat to Mevagissey.

Anthony Hillman scored both home goals, but the visitors stay in contention after goals from Chris Dingle, Jamie Hellier, Miles Gardner and Adam Trudgeon gave them a famous victory.

St Newlyn East picked up three more points with Liam Dent scoring both goals in their 2-0 derby win at St Mawgan.

Torpoint Athletic beat Probus 4-0 with Graham O'Neill scoring a brace. Tom Smith and Sam West completed the scoring.

Division One

FIVE STAR LIAM REIGNITES PELYNT PROMOTION BID:

Liam Jones was in spectacular form with five goals as he reignited Pelynt's Division One promotion challenge.

They stunned Maker with Rame 10-1 with Ali Carter adding a brace and Tom Cantwell, Damian Mutton and Tony Harman completing the rout.

Luke Jones scored the Maker consolation goal.

Pensilva remain unbeaten but conceded an injury time goal in a 4-4 draw with Looe Town.

Matt Barton gave Looe the lead in the fourth minute following a goalmouth scramble. Jon Filbey levelled after ten minutes, but midway through the half Robbie Spencer restored the visitors' lead with a fine half volley.

Pensilva hit back with Zak Peel equalising ten minutes from half time and he then scored twice to complete a hat trick as Pensilva dominated the early stages of the second half.

Barton gave the visitors hope with a goal 15 minutes from time with Martin Ayres then stunning the home fans with a goal in injury time to secure the draw.

Biscovey were given a severe test by Week St Mary before gaining a 3-2 victory. The hosts started well and forced several corners and tested the keeper.

They were then hit by a sucker-punch as Week broke quickly and took the lead with a good finish to the top corner. Martyn Jones showed his strength as he laid the ball to Alex Woodcock to equalise before half time.

Biscovey brought on Steve Mooney, returning after a long injury absence, at the start of the second half and he immediately influenced the game.

Jones put Biscovey back in front, but this inspired Week and they produced their best football of the game.

An equaliser followed and the visitors looked the more likely winners. but with ten minutes left they were caught by a quick break and Woodcock scored the winner.

Gunnislake remain on the bottom after losing 3-2 at home to Grampound. Shane Weeks, Jason Retallick and Martin Lloyd scored for Grampound with Kieran Jasper scoring both home goals.

Division Two

QUEENS KINGS FOR A DAY:

Queens Rangers have given themselves hope of escaping relegation from Division Two after a sensational 2-1 win at title hopefuls North Petherwin.

It was a second successive home defeat for Petherwin where again they failed to raise their game. Jamie Seery and Ben Hawken scored for Rangers with Callum Reeve getting the home goal.

Boscastle scored inside the opening minute at home to Premier Sixes and went on to win 4-2. Darren Hambly and Henry Bright scored a brace apiece for Boscastle with Martyn Probert and Tony Cock replying.

Padstow took a giant stride towards the title with Kyle Tippett and Jake Charles scoring in their 2-0 win at Foxhole.

Sticker were also 2-0 winners leaving Lanreath adrift at the bottom. Sticker took the lead on the quarter hour after good work down the right by Luke Perkes and Matt Searle allowed Martin Matthews to score off a post.

The visitors doubled the lead before the interval when the home keeper fumbled a high ball into the goal by Zak Smith-Brokenshire and Mark Carter headed home.

Lostwithiel hit four without reply against St Breward. Dan Carr and James Hutchings scored a brace apiece.

Division Three

HOLYWELL DAZZLE INN:

Holywell/Cubert Athletic produced a dazzling 15-minute spell in the first half when they scored all five of their goals as they beat Welcome Inn 5-1.

Aaron Murphy scored a brace with Lee Copp, Lachlan, and Aidan Reek adding a goal apiece. The game settled after this, but Holywell's win keeps them right in the Division Three promotion mix. Phil Roberts scored the visitors' consolation.

Jason Northcott was in superb form as he hit four goals in leaders St Minver's 6-0 defeat of Tregony. Dayll Beesley added the other two goals, his first of the season.

St Stephen beat Lanivet Inn 3-1, a game played on a rutted pitch with a touch of frost. St Stephen went close after two minutes from a goalmouth scramble but after several efforts couldn't force the ball home. They then nearly fell behind after a poor back pass to the keeper was pounced upon, but Craig Kellow got back to make a superb goal-line clearance after the keeper was rounded.

St Stephen took the lead after Dean Yelland was picked out by Sam Medlin and supplied a good finish. Matt Spry capped a fine game to put the hosts two ahead at half time.

Yelland scored his second with a back post header to a Kellow cross and at this point St Stephen made some substitutions that disjointed their play. Lanivet took advantage and pulled a goal back from a Luke Henderson overhead kick.

Callington Town won a second successive game to leave Roche stranded at the bottom. Jordan Swinney and Kieran Prescott scored a brace apiece with Steve Terry and Aaron Phillips completing the rout.

Matt Brookes scored all three goals as LC Phoenix won 3-1 at Delabole United. Steve Terry pulled one back for the hosts.

Stoke Climsland beat Camelford 2-1. Andy Craddock and James Wing scored for Stoke with Fergus Lessels replying.

Division Four

IT'S ALL DOWN HILL:

Division Four leaders North Hill went down 1-0 at home to title rivals St Neot with Ryan Chapman scoring.

Lifton failed to take advantage of the leaders slip as they lost 3-2 at Gorran where Jack Bray-Smith scored a hat trick, one of which was from the spot. Ed Horn and Dan Hoare scored for Lifton.

Mevagissey reserves had a comprehensive 5-0 win over Gunnislake reserves. Ryan Morcom scored the only goal of the first half in the 11th minute.

The hosts raised their game after the break and strolled home as the visitors' youngsters ran out of steam.

Morcom scored his second with a bullet header with Dan Brady adding a third. Matt Chesterfield and Ben Prynn both climbed off the substitutes bench to score a goal apiece to conclude a fine performance.

Grampound reserves had a lot of their home game with Tintagel but conceded goals on the majority of occasions that the visitors attacked as they went down 6-2.

Adam Wright, Shaun Keeble (2), Martyn Cockcroft and Paul Haynes scored for Tintagel with Ryan Orchard getting a brace in reply.

Wadebridge Town moved away from the relegation zone after their 2-1 win at St Cleer reserves. Fran Riddle and Aaron White scored their goals with Andy Thomas replying for St Cleer.

Division Five

ALLEN HOLDS THE KEY:

St Merryn leapfrogged Tregrehan Mills up to third in Division Five as they beat their opponents 3-2.

This was a sporting game, but not with a high quality of football. St Merryn scored through a Chris Allen brace, one a penalty, and from Lewis Canfield, but should have had a few more with better finishing.

Dean Seville scored both visitors' goals to hit the 20 mark for the season.

Duke of Cornwall faced a severe test against leaders Veryan but held their high-flying hosts to just one goal for 75 minutes.

Duke showed a much greater fighting spirit than in recent weeks and although defending throughout frustrated their rivals. Eventually class told and Veryan won 4-0. Scorers were Bobby-Lee Johns, Martin Bishop, Ollie Johns and Ian Newcombe with an own goal.