CORNWALL SENIOR CUP St Austell 1 Saltash Utd 0

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Created on Wednesday, 08 November 2023 07:54

Last Updated on Thursday, 09 November 2023 07:59

Published on Wednesday, 08 November 2023 07:54

Written by KEVIN MARRIOTT at Poltair

Matt Searle fired St Austell into the Senior Cup quarter-finals with a 90th minute winner against Western League Saltash at Poltair Park on Tuesday night.

With an enthralling tie heading towards extra time, Searle found a yard of space inside a crowded penalty area and placed his shot from 15 yards into the net to spark wild celebrations.

Although Saltash dominated possession throughout, nothing should be taken away from the performance of the Lillywhites, who are chasing promotion from the Peninsula Premier west division.

They defended magnificently as a team and still managed to create the best chances, with Ashes keeper Jordan Duffey forced into several excellent saves.

Saltash had opened the game impressively and could have taken the lead in the second minute when Tylor Love-Holmes made room for a shot but home keeper Harry Ashton was equal to it.

Six minutes later Aaron Goulty drove into the penalty area but his shot finished wide of the far post.

St Austell responded with an excellent chance for the prolific Adam Carter inside the six yard box but somehow Duffey kept the ball out with a fantastic double save.

Carter turned provider after 35 minutes when he played in Neil Slateford but his goal-bound effort again brought out the best in Duffey, who turned the ball out for a corner.

Saltash started the second half as they had the first, with Ethan Wright seeing a 49th minute shot saved by Ashton before the impressive left wingback set up Aaron Goulty, who lifted his header just over.

St Austell hit back with a shot from George Marris which Duffey stretched to keep out.

The last half-hour saw Saltash with a lot of the ball and they did create a couple of chances but Joe Preece and substitute Josh Johnson couldn’t finish.

That’s probably harsh on Johnson, who had been on for only a minute, because the intervention of Josh Storey was arguably the tackle of the match. 

Most at Poltair were resigning themselves to another 30 minutes of play when St Austell launched a raid along the right. They won a free kick, threw almost everybody forward, and won a corner from it.

Slateford’s cross caused mayhem around the six yard box, two opportunities were scrambled out but a third attempted clearance fell to the feet of Searle, who saw a gap and placed his shot through it and into the net.

Lillywhites manager Chris Knight said: “We had a game plan and we stuck to it. We understood we wouldn’t have much of the ball against them and that we may have to take our chances when we got them.

“But we had four amazing chances over 90 minutes and I can only remember Harry (Ashton, goalkeeper) making two saves, albeit very good ones.

“Credit to the whole team but particularly the subs who I thought affected the game superbly.”

Saltash boss Macca Brown said: “Full credit to St Austell, they deserved their victory. I see a lot of mangers make subtle digs at the opposition when they lose games like that, talking about certain game plans, but I have complete respect for that performance and their lads gave everything so full credit to them.

“It was a similar story for us, St Austell asked us some questions that we are not used to being asked, and we didn’t really have the answers. 

“However equally I feel for our lads, I don’t think I’ve been involved in a game where we’ve made so many passes and had so much possession, we searched for the answers but it is a really difficult pitch to try and break a side down. 

“It was heavy and the slope makes it tough to play with speed and find that switch of play and we struggled to do it.”

“Our best stage of the game was the opening 20 minutes and we should have scored in that period no question, but St Austell had some good chances on the break as the half wore on and probably tested the keeper more than we did. 

“I’m obviously disappointed but I think credit has to go to St Austell. I wasn’t really expecting them to sit in like they did and I had concerns going into the game about their firepower which we didn’t really see in the end but that doesn’t matter.

“Chris clearly got it bang on and it was a great result for them. 

“I felt after 20 minutes or so it could be a comfortable evening for us, but as the second half wore on I think everyone maybe felt this could actually be one of those nights, and that’s exactly what happened, they scored at the perfect time and we had no time to respond.”

Brown added: “We must find goals from somewhere. We are really pleasing on the eye, but that doesn’t win you games and we have to be clinical where it matters. 

“We’ve been dealt a cruel hand losing Kia and Jordan in particular at such an important stage of the season, and we’ve looked a bit blunt in front of goal. 

“But then that’s no surprise, they’ve scored just under 50% of our goals this season and it’s going to have an impact, every team would feel that. 

“It would be the same if Helston lost Rikki and Dammers, or if Bridgwater lost Thorne and Taylor. It’s our job to find a way and others have to step up and replace that threat. 

“But tonight it’s St Austell’s night and good luck to them.”

St Austell: H Ashton, J Shaw, M Duff, T Whipp, O Brokenshire, J Storey, N Slateford, K Bishop (C Wharton 72), A Carter (L Eddy 72), N Teagle, G Marris (M Searle 61).

Subs not used: T Guest, H Hann.

Goal: M Searle (90).

Saltash Utd: J Duffey, T Badcott, E Wright, E Goodman (B Goulty 86), H Greening, L Murray, T Huyton, A Goulty, J Toulson (J Johnson 71), T Love-Holmes, J Preece.

Subs not used: J Jefford, M Toms, C M’Ballow.

Yellow card: E Wright (29).

Referee: T Burley.

SWSN Stars St Austell - Josh Storey; Saltash - Laurence Murray.

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