St Stephens Borough 4, St Ives Town 2

THE Saints missed out on the chance of making further progress in the Cornwall Senior Cup after letting slip a two-goal lead at Saltash on Saturday,

writes Peter Heyman

.

"The astroturf pitch certainly gave the home side an advantage as they are used to the extra bounce that it gives," said St Ives chairman Richard Murphy.

"We were also up against a good side who are currently top of the First Division in the East Cornwall League, but our young side continues to improve and in the end Borough were slightly flattered by their winning margin."

St Ives started brightly and Danny Paynter brought a good early save from home keeper Dave Green from Ross Duncan's cross. At the other end Saints' keeper Tony Simons did well to keep out Stuart Fort's powerful volley.

But with Duncan and Chris Lock running riot down the flanks, it came as no surprise when St Ives took the lead on 12 minutes when Ross Cook chipped a neat ball over the home defence for Lock to sidefoot home from six yards.

St Ives then lost Marc Allen with a back injury, but they continued to dominate, with Green pulling off a fine save to deny Duncan before Lock doubled the visitors' lead after Pugh had headed Paynter's cross back across goal.

With half-time beckoning, Borough got back in the game when Fort's powerful shot was parried by Simons, but only into the path of Lewis Frederick who headed in.

The home side upped their work rate in the second half and levelled the scores on the hour when Andy Wright rose above the home defence to head in the equaliser.

And it was Wright who put the home side ahead 10 minutes later with a fierce drive from a cross. But the Saints refused to lie down and Martin Harding and Matt Fox brought fine saves from Green.

However, Max Parfitt sealed the home side's place in the second round with a shot through a crowd of players two minutes from time.

St Ives: T Simons, B O'Hara, C Richards, R Duncan, C Lock, M Allen (C Pugh 15), R Cook, E Wilkes, J Curnow, M Fox, D Paynter (M Harding 65).

Man of the match: Ben O'Hara (St Ives).