Western League
Premier Division
Saltash United 0 Buckland Athletic 2
Saltash were left chasing the game after conceding twice in the opening 16 minutes against a well organised Buckland side at the Waterways Stadium on Saturday.
Ben Carter’s direct free kick gave the visitors a seventh minute breakthrough and Cieran Bridger doubled the lead to give the Ashes an uphill battle which they couldn’t win.
Saltash were more than a match for their high-riding opponents but they lacked a quality finisher when opportunities came along.
Ashes boss Macca Brown said: “I think credit needs to go to Buckland to be honest. I said to Harty afterwards it was a very ‘Un-Buckland like’ performance and I mean that with the greatest respect.
“I have always enjoyed coming up against Dan’s sides in recent years because the game always has that feel of ‘we’ll score one more than you’ about it from both sides.
“I have always felt like they’d give us a chance in a game and that we’d be able to score regardless, but I thought it was a serious performance from them yesterday, arguably a perfect away display and I’m sure Dan is delighted with that as much as the result because those are signs that you can challenge.”
He went on: “We weren’t at it in the first 15 minutes at all, and that’s when they hurt us.
“A direct free kick is poor from our point of view but it’s a clever strike under our jumping wall and then the second goal was a snapshot with quality that Jordan (Duffey) had no chance with.
“I thought they could go on and hurt us at that point, but to be fair we really settled into it and started controlling the game but l thought they showed a level of maturity that won them the game.
“Instead of searching for a third and potentially getting caught, they sat in, defended the edge of their box, and made it incredibly tough for us.
“We had so much of the ball, we were practically penning them in their half in the second 45 minutes but we didn’t have the quality to break them down.
“That’s where they were different, up at Homers Heath a couple of months ago they were 3-1 up against us but the game was still very open and we pegged it back to 3-3 before conceding late, but there was no chance of that happening yesterday.
“It’s like land of the giants back there for them and it’s very hard to break that down.
“We had some really good chances in the first half and Tylor (Love-Holmes) made some really good saves, but we should have done better in those moments, but we didn’t really create anything of note in the second half. That’s just where we are at the moment.
“We’ve lost some key players and it’s hurt us in terms of scoring goals and we must work it out and find a way.
“In the first 17 games of the season we were averaging 2.3 goals per game; however, since Kia (O’Melia) was injured and we lost (Jordan) Ewing it’s down to 0.3 goals per game.
“We are creating some great chances but we just aren’t hurting teams when we get the chance and even the last two goals we’ve scored v Bridgwater and Helston have had an element of luck to them.
“So that’s something we must work out, we are doing so well but we may need to adapt to cater for the type of players we have in the front line at the moment.”
Brown added: “I love watching us, we are on the front foot and exciting but it’s a sinking feeling without the results.
“We could just sit in and counter like teams do but we can take positives from the fact that we’ve gone punch for punch with Bridgwater, Helston and Buckland in recent weeks and really have not been that far away.
“We have no game next week, so can have some time to reflect and find some answers before Millbrook on the 9th.”
Saltash: J Duffey, B Goulty, E Wright, E Goodman, H Greening, A Goulty, T Love-Holmes, J Toulson (M Toms 86), T Badcott (L Murray 74), J Johnson (J Curtis 70), J Preece.
Subs not used: J Jefford, T Huyton.
Buckland: T Coombes, T Rosenquest, S Morcom, C Watson, R Shanley, O Stockton, B Carter (Hendrickson 62), C Bridger (J Grant 62), R Bush (S Stayt 62), J Lewington, M James.
Subs not used: F Clark, A Collings (gk).
Attendance: 154.
Month: November 2023
Joy of six as runaway leaders Liskeard hammer rivals
South West Peninsula League
Premier Division West
Wendron United 0 Liskeard Athletic 6
Liskeard’s biggest away test so far this season was emphatically swept aside with a six of the best hammering of title rivals Wendron on their own Underlane ground on Saturday.
This was a statement result for the league leaders who were anticipating a severe test of their 17-game unbeaten record against their third-placed opponents.
Mike Smith helped himself to a hat-trick, Dan Jennings bagged his obligatory goal, skipper Max Gilbert fired in a trademark free kick and there was an own goal.
Liskeard have now scored 87 goals in 18 league games, which means they are averaging almost five goals a game.
It took them only 14 minutes to start the scoring on Saturday when Smith headed in a corner and Jennings made it 2-0 nine minutes later.
Wendron attempted to get back into the game but they were rocked on the stroke of half-time when Gilbert rifled in a superb free kick.
Liskeard were expecting a reaction from Wendron early in the second half and the home side pressed hard in an effort to reduce the arrears but two goals in three minutes finished off their hopes.
Smith made it 4-0 from a 73rd minute penalty and two minutes later Wendron defender Isaac Dryburgh scored an unfortunate own goal.
Liskeard’s perfect day was completed late on when Smith completed his hat-trick.
The Blues have now won 17 of their 18 games – their other match being a 3-3 draw at home to second placed St Austell, who are 12 points behind with two games in hand.
Wendron: E Fearn, I Dryburgh, R May, S Palmer, M Roberts, J Cleverly, R Reeve, L Potts, C Young, J Stocker, J Wood.
Subs: T Walter, B Scoffin, F Williams, R Kelly, S Young (gk).
Liskeard: C Harvey, B Collins, M Outtram, H Bell, J McCabe, R Kane, M Gilbert, W Gilbert, M Smith, D Jennings, F Bartlett.
Subs: D Peel, H Mullis, M Thorp, W Larsen, H Jeffery.
Goals: M Smith 3 (14, 73 pen, 86), D Jennings (24), M Gilbert (44), own goal (75).
Eddy’s back-heeled goal ends Wadebridge fightback
South West Peninsula League
Premier Division West
AFC St Austell 4 Wadebridge Town 2
St Austell warmed up for next Saturday’s FA Vase date against Highworth Town with an entertaining win which kept them second in the table.
But they needed a cheeky back-heeled goal from substitute Liam Eddy a minute from normal time to end Wadebridge’s strong fightback after trailing 3-0 just after half-time.
The Lillywhites made an impressive start with goals from Adam Carter – set up by George Marris – and Neil Slateford (penalty) inside the opening 20 minutes.
And when Tom Whipp was left unmarked to head in Slateford’s 48th minute corner, the home side looked to have put the game beyond reach.
That was the signal for Wadebridge boss Paul Rowe to ring the changes and three substitutions in the 52nd minute breathed fresh life into the visitors.
One of those subs, Morgan Vallejo, thought he had pulled a goal back on the hour with a fierce shot but St Austell keeper Harry Ashton produced a breathtaking save to keep the ball out.
Five minutes later, however, the Bridgers did get on the scoresheet with another of their subs, Haiden Chapman, finishing off after Matt Lloyd had taken the ball around Ashton.
And Wadebridge were properly back in the game 12 minutes from time when Lloyd’s headed flick on allowed Jacob Rowe to steer the ball into the net from close range.
The Bridgers pushed for an unlikely equaliser until Eddy effectively ended their hopes with a breakaway which saw his initial shot hit a post before he back-heeled the rebound into the net from six yards.
There was still time for Wadebridge to have another chance but Sam Hepworth’s shot was brilliantly saved by Ashton.
St Austell: H Ashton, J Shaw, M Duff, T Whipp, O Brokenshire, J Miller, N Slateford, M Searle (C Wharton 72), A Carter (L Eddy 64), K Bishop (H Hann 86), G Marris (N Teagle 64).
Goals: A Carter (16), N Slateford, pen (19), T Whipp (48).
Yellow card: O Brokenshire (77).
Wadebridge: R Rosevear, T Harris, S Hepworth, C Reski (M Vallejo 52), G Eastman (L Webber 52), M Lloyd, J Smale, J Rowe, R Hooper, J Tripconey (H Chapman 52), S Gerken.
Sub not used: B Rowe.
Goals: H Chapman (65), J Rowe (78).
Yellow card: J Smale (44).
Referee: S Edge.
Attendance: 158.
Men of the Match. St Austell – Neil Slateford; Wadebridge – Jacob Smale.
Shepherd’s slow motion header sentences Saltash to another slender defeat
Western League
Les Phillips Cup
Saltash United 1 Helston Athletic 2
Saltash suffered their fifth successive defeat – which includes three in cup competitions – as they were edged out of the Les Phillips Cup by holders Helston at the Waterways Stadium on Tuesday night.
All five losses have been by one goal margins which has left everybody involved at the club frustrated.
The Ashes took a fifth minute lead through Joe Preece’s deflected effort but Jacob Smith’s fierce curling volley levelled it up 15 minutes later.
And the tie was settled on the hour by an excellent, almost slow motion, looping header from Rikki Shepherd, who used to play for Millbrook when Macca Brown was in charge there.
Brown, now in his first season of rebuilding at Saltash, said: “I feel like I’m repeating myself on a game by game basis at the moment, but regardless of the results I’m really proud of the players and how they’re going about their business right now.
“There’s nothing worse than putting so much in, and getting absolutely nothing out and they’re experiencing that every week at the moment, losing by the odd goal, and that’s a horrible feeling as it’s very difficult to find the words when it’s like that.
“It would be easier if we were playing poorly, or if the attitude and mentality was terrible but it’s the complete opposite.
“We are left at the end feeling beaten up, but the only answer is to pick yourself back up off the canvas and get back in the ring and that’s what we’re doing and because of that we’ll get our rewards in time.”
He went on: “I enjoyed the game. We started well with the goal but I thought Helston were also sharp from that point.
“Rikki (Shepherd) was electric in the opening stages and we had to adjust slightly to deal with that but we did, and Tylor (Love-Holmes) was superb up against him and kept him relatively quiet for the remainder of the half.
“At half time we were happy, disappointed with the goal we conceded as Barks (Dave Barker) danced through a couple of challenges which shouldn’t happen, but from that point the game was even and we did well.
“The second half was just about the big moments. We had three fabulous chances, Tom Huyton from six yards out and then Ed Goodman with a similar chance, albeit more difficult, but both should do better, Tom especially has to score.
“We were pressing for a second and then out of nowhere a deep cross comes into the box and Rikki scores an unbelievable header really.
“I’ve watched that lad play hundreds of games of football over the last 10 years and score all sorts of goals, but I’ve never seen him score a goal like that, and I was quick to tell him afterwards as well.
“And those are the fine margins that make the difference in these kind of games.
“We started to turn the screw a little bit more but one thing Helston are very good at is managing games when they’re ahead.
“They slow it down and get around the ref at every opportunity to win free kicks and it works for them, it’s not a criticism because it’s something our younger lads can learn from but it can just kill momentum.
“Tylor had another great opening and again it should finish with a goal but Kyle (Moore) has done well to be fair.”
November has not been kind to Saltash despite a marked improvement in performances.
Brown said: “It’s been a cruel few weeks for us in a big month. We lost some key players at a time when cup football kicks in and it’s probably cost us in that respect and we are out of all competitions which is hard to take.
“Coming off the back of our 5-1 win in the last round a few weeks ago at Blazey, if you had said that would be the case then I wouldn’t have believed you, but we’ve been hit hard with injuries and players moving on and that’s where it’s hard to take.
“Now it’s about focussing on turning the season around in the league and I don’t see any reason why we can’t. We have twenty games left and the signs are there that we aren’t far off.
“We’ve run Bridgwater and Helston really close in the last couple of weeks and we’ve gone toe to toe with both of them, so we can be enthused by that and look to kick on.”
The next test comes on Saturday when Buckland Athletic are the visitors in a league encounter (3pm).
Saltash: J Duffey, T Love-Holmes, E Wright, E Goodman, H Greening, L Murray, T Huyton, T Badcott, A Goulty, R Thomson, J Preece.
Subs: J Jefford, R Howe.
Goal: J Preece (5).
Helston: K Moore, D Barker, T Elliott, H Jewell, J Bentley, A Bentley, T Payne, J Smith, J Copp, R Shepherd, J Simmonds.
Subs: M Baga, S Colwell, K Cornish, C Damerell, S Clifton.
Goals: J Smith (21), R Shepherd (60).
Yellow cards: J Copp (42).
Sin bin: J Copp (42).
Referee: Ryan Dennis.
Attendance: 140.
Men of the Match. Saltash – Tom Badcott; Helston – Jordan Bentley.
Quality finishes give Torpoint edge over leaders
Western League
Premier Division
Torpoint Athletic 2 Bridgwater United 1
Second half goals of high quality from Gary Hird and Ryan Smith laid the foundations for an excellent Torpoint victory over morning leaders Bridgwater at The Mill on Saturday.
After a goalless first half which had seen the visitors in charge for long spells, Torpoint broke the deadlock six minutes into the second half from the best move of the match.
A sweeping and slick one touch move through midfield led to the ball finding the feet of substitute Hird, who drilled his shot into the net from 15 yards.
If that was a smartly worked goal, Torpoint’s second in the 75th minute was out of the top drawer of individual finishes.
Smith collected the ball on the edge of the penalty area on the left side, cut inside and unleashed a beautiful curling shot which nestled into the far corner of the net.
Bridgwater, who beat Torpoint 5-0 in the corresponding fixture in early October, stepped up the pressure but Torpoint defended well as a team and kept the visitors at arm’s length for the most part.
But they thought they had reduced the arrears in the 90th minute when Jay Murray produced a fierce shot from 25 yards which looked a goal all the way.
But goalkeeper Ryan Rickard somehow got his fingertips to it and the ball crashed against the underside of the bar and bounced out before it was cleared from the danger area.
Bridgwater continued to knock on the door, with some excellent service from the right wing, and in the seventh minute of time added on they were awarded a generous penalty which Murray coolly slotted past Rickard.
But any hopes the visitors had of rescuing a point were quickly snuffed out as the referee blew the final whistle after the spot kick.
This was an impressive and hard-earned three points for Torpoint, who had lost five of their previous six games in all competitions, albeit on penalties in two of them.
Dean Cardew and his assistant Ryan Fice are moulding an experienced squad into one which doesn’t look out of place in the top half of the Western League. And at The Mill they make life difficult for opponents.
Bridgwater were without influential skipper Jake Llewellyn due to a one match suspension but they certainly gave everything on a cloying, heavy playing surface which had passed a morning inspection.
On another day they might have scored several goals but good fortune in front of goal eluded them on this occasion.
It was a good day for Torpoint, their only setbacks being second half injuries to strikers Ryan Richards (ankle) and Adam Carter (thigh).
The experienced duo had given Bridgwater’s defence plenty to think about before they were forced off.
Torpoint: R Rickard, J Forrest, J Richards (G Hird 7), O Haslam, S Hillson, E Crawford, J Pope (M Lucas 58), R Smith (D Murray 89), A Carter (E Hunt 70), R Richards (J Wood 64), D Hicks.
Goals: G Hird (51), R Smith (75).
Yellow cards: R Richards (27), Jason Forrest 40).
Bridgwater: J Viney, D Thorne, J Quick, H Horton (J Phillips 59), R Edwards, G King, M Williams, T Llewellyn, J Taylor, J Thorne, J Murray.
Subs not used: S Towler, B Griffith.
Goal: J Murray (90+7, penalty).
Yellow card: M Williams (90+1).
Referee: N D’Arcy.
Attendance: 202.
Men of Match. Torpoint – G Hird; Bridgwater – J Murray.
Spot of trouble for Saltash leaves Macca fuming
FA Vase
Second Round Proper
Saltash United 0 Downton 1
It takes a lot to upset Macca Brown. The Saltash United manager is a top young coach and while his passion for football is obvious, he rarely brings emotions to the fore after matches.
Saturday was different. It wasn’t the Ashes’ exit from the FA Vase which had Brown hot under the collar – though that hurt enough – it was some of the decisions which he felt contributed to defeat.
A second half goal from substitute Harrison Clarke was all that separated the sides – but there was far more to the second round proper tie than that.
For a start, controversy surrounded a 30th minute Saltash penalty missed by striker Jordan Ewing, who may well have been put off by Downton’s Alfie Hawke interfering with the placing of the ball on the penalty spot.
And midway through the second half midfield man Josh Toulson was shown two yellow cards – and therefore a red – for two fouls committed in the same Downton attack.
Brown said: “It’s a really difficult one to stomach. I can handle it when we’ve only got ourselves to blame and we certainly take responsibility for our part to play in the defeat.
“But when the outcome of the game has been impacted in such a significant way by the decision making from officials then that makes it tough to take.
“The penalty situation was scandalous really. To allow an opposing player to step into the box and re-spot the ball after Jordan has set it, I’ve never seen anything like it.
“When he blew the whistle I assumed he was rightfully booking their player but it was to signal the strike.
“Jordan should have taken his time and regained control of the situation but it was handled horrendously by the official in a massive moment.
“I understand there was an issue with the spot itself given the conditions, fair enough, but what it has to do with their player I don’t know and it showed a complete lack of control.”
Of Toulson’s dismissal, Brown said: “I don’t know what to say about it really.
“Don’t get me wrong, Josh maybe gave the ref the opportunity to have his moment in the spotlight, but I don’t think anyone has seen that before.
“Josh basically fouled their lad, no issue with that, stop the game and book him, but he waved play on and then Josh fouls him again.
“He then stops play and brandishes two yellow cards, one for each foul. It screamed to me that the referee thought he could do something unique here, something that’s never been done before, and he didn’t miss the opportunity.
“Of course it had a huge impact on the game, it gets turned on its head when we go down to 10 men.”
Saltash’s general performance followed the pattern of recent games where some nice football went unrewarded.
Brown said: “I thought we were excellent in the first half, really in control, but wasteful again in the final third, which has been the story of the last few weeks.
“The goal we conceded was so poor from our perspective and the quality has to be higher there and it’s cost us.m
“The changing room was distraught afterwards. We’ve lost four games on the spin, all by the odd goal, and we could quite easily have won each of them, and there’s no worse feeling when you’re giving so much and getting nothing.
“But it drives us on, we acknowledged afterwards that in recent games we’ve been 8/10 and although that’s good and we’ve played well, it clearly isn’t enough, now it’s time to drive up the demands and expectations of each of us.
“We have a brilliant group and we are doing so much right but there has to be a point where we stop feeling like this and the only way to do that is take performances up a level.”
Saltash: J Mead-Crebbin, T Love-Holmes, E Wright, E Goodman, H Greening, L Murray, T Huyton, J Toulson, J Ewing, A Goulty, J Preece.
Subs: B Goulty, J Jefford, D Youldon, T Badcott, J Johnson.
Magnificent Lillywhites march on in FA Vase
FA Vase
Second Round Proper
Buckland Athletic 1 St Austell 3
St Austell chose Saturday’s FA Vase tie at Homers Heath to produce their most complete performance of the season as they deservedly knocked out a strong Buckland side.
It goes down as a shock result because Buckland are a Western League premier division side of some repute while the Lillywhites are pushing for promotion from the South West Peninsula League.
But the Cornish side pocketed £900 in prize money and all the plaudits from a pulsating tie which they were in charge of from the start.
The level of team performance was so high that it was impossible to pick out a man of the match.
Having employed a defensive game plan to seal a 1-0 victory over another Western League side, Saltash United, in a midweek Cornwall Senior Cup tie, the travelling Town fans might have anticipated a similar approach to this game.
Quite the opposite in fact. They started on the front foot and came close to opening the scoring after nine minutes with a fierce Adam Carter shot which needed Tyler Coombes to make an excellent save.
But the vastly experienced striker was not to be denied in the 27th minute when a perfect cross from the left by Martyn Duff picked him out in the middle and he buried a superb header into the corner of the net.
It was very nearly 2-0 six minutes later when Matt Searle cut in from the right and unleashed a goal-bound shot which Coombes somehow managed to fingertip around the post.
Buckland huffed and puffed but failed to test keeper Harry Ashton before half-time, such was the quality of the defending in front of him.
A reaction from the home side was expected after the break but they found themselves 2-0 down in the 53rd minute.
A trademark pinpoint corner from the left by Lillywhites skipper Neil Slateford picked out Jake Miller on the edge of the six yard box and he buried his header into the net.
It should have been 3-0 in the 62nd minute when a rejuvenated Liam Eddy outpaced his marker with the unmarked Carter screaming for the ball on the far side.
Eddy’s pass was destined for Carter until Myles James raced back to make a superb interception and the chance was gone.
Within a minute Buckland were back in it as Jarad Lewington finished off a right wing attack by forcing the ball over the line at the near post.
It was time for some fresh legs for St Austell, with Eddy almost dead on his feet after running himself into the ground, and he was replaced by youngster Connor Wharton, who went on to have a magnificent last half hour.
George Marris then replaced Searle, who had also been superb in midfield, as the Lillywhites defended for their Vase lives.
They weren’t helped when keeper Ashton was forced off with concussion after 72 minutes but at least they had named a keeper on the bench in Cody Hill, who had plenty to do during his time on the pitch.
Buckland were pressing for an equaliser but their experienced captain Rob Farkins pushed the self destruct button in the 76th minute when he appeared to slap Wharton in the face and was shown a straight red card.
Farkins protested but there was no defence for what he did and some would argue he was fortunate to still be on the pitch after an indisciplined first half where the referee was very lenient over his continual dissent.
St Austell made the most of their advantage by scoring a third goal eight minutes from time, Miller firing in an unstoppable shot from the edge of the penalty area to spark wild celebrations from their supporters.
Buckland’s poor discipline reared its head again with Lewington being sin binned, which left the home side with only nine men.
Lewington did get back on because the referee somehow found 13 minutes of time added on, which was ridiculous, but Town never looked like relinquishing their position.
Indeed in the fourth added minute, Slateford seemed certain to make it 4-1 until his shot took a slight deflection and finished the wrong side of the post.
A simply magnificent performance which did the club, and the county, proud. Their reward is a home tie in the next round on December 2 against Hellenic League premier division Highworth Town, who beat Newquay 5-1 on Saturday.
Buckland: T Coombes, T Rosenquest, S Morcom, C Watson, R Farkins, R Shanley, B Carter (R Bush 88), J Grant (C Bridger 47), M James, J Lewington, J Webber (S Stayt 64).
Subs not used: F Clark, O Stockton, A Collings, W Hall.
Goal: J Lewington (63).
Yellow card: J Lewington (84).
Sin bin: J Lewington (84).
Red card: R Farkins (64).
St Austell: H Ashton (C Hill 80), J Shaw, M Duff, N Teagle, O Brokenshire, T Whipp, N Slateford, M Searle (G Marris 71), L Eddy (C Wharton 68), A Carter, J Miller.
Subs not used: H Hann, S Wilson, K Stephens.
Goals: A Carter (27), J Miller (53 & 82).
Referee: Gareth Jones.
Attendance: 194.
Man of the Match: whole team.
Camels sunk after sub finally surfaces
Cornwall Senior Cup
Second round
Camelford 0 St Blazey 4
Three goals in the last 15 minutes sealed a comfortable passage into the Senior Cup quarter-finals for St Blazey at Trefrew Park on Wednesday night.
But the talking point – and the turning point – of the tie came midway through the second half when Blazey were only a goal ahead.
Camelford thought they had equalised after 65 minutes when substitute Olly Taylor turned in a cross from the right – and initially the referee awarded the goal.
Blazey complained because they thought play had been stopped after the official signalled for them to make a substitution. After consulting a linesman, the referee disallowed the goal.
Blazey’s relief was matched by Camelford’s anger and unfortunately the home side were reduced to 10 men three minutes later when Tom Cowling was sent off for hitting out at Jordan Pearce, who was yellow carded.
The visitors took advantage by doubling their lead through Luke Cloke in the 75th minute and three minutes later it was 3-0 when Aaron Dilley buried a penalty.
Substitute Sam Clifton completed the scoring four minutes from time with a fine finish after dribbling his way into the penalty area.
It all seemed a long time from the opening goal which gave Blazey a 27th minute lead, with Ryan Downing’s deflected shot giving Camels keeper Josh Colwill no chance.
Camelford: J Colwill, T Crowe, J Chafer, C Hambly, S Wade, R Beare, S Watts, D Metherell, T Cowling, L Carhart, C Sturdy.
Subs: J Biddick, T McLachlan, O Taylor, S Brown, M Yelland.
Yellow cards: R Beare (29), J Colwill (78).
Red card: T Cowling (68).
St Blazey: J Stidson, W Tinsley, S Rutter, A Dilley, F Walter, J Pearce, S Piper, J Smale, L Cloke, R Downing, I McCue.
Subs: O Pritchard, G Newton, S Clifton, B Waters, L Russell.
Yellow cards: J Pearce (68), L Cloke (72).
Goals: R Downing (27), L Cloke (76), A Dilley (79 pen), S Clifton (86).
Referee: Robert Fleetham.
Attendance: 98.
Men of the Match. Camelford – C Hambly; St Blazey – J Smale.
Matt’s late late finish sends Saltash out of Senior Cup
Cornwall Senior Cup
Second Round
St Austell 1 Saltash United 0
Substitute 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 South West Peninsula League 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.
But 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.”
He added: “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 (Knight, St Austell manager) 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 though, 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.
Men of Match. St Austell – Josh Storey; Saltash – Laurence Murray.
KJM SPORTS 