Falmouth Town chief Andrew Westgarth felt his side were ‘a pleasure to watch’ during a ruthless first-half display in their 4-0 win at home to St Dennis on Saturday.
Goals from James Ward, Tim Nixon and David Broglino gave Andrew Westgarth’s table-topping side a handsome lead at the break at Bickland Park.
Town dominated the second half from start to finish but could not translate that into goals, with Jack Bray-Evans eventually completing the rout ten minutes from time.
The win edges the South West Peninsula League Premier West leaders to within one point of the title, which could have been secured on Saturday had Liskeard Athletic not rescued a point in their 1-1 draw at Wadebridge Town.
“I enjoyed the first half,” said Westgarth after the final whistle. “It wasn’t so enjoyable in the second half, but I thought the way we started and some of the football we played in the first half was excellent.
“We looked so sharp, so fit, the movement was brilliant – it was a pleasure to watch actually. The goals we scored were proper team goals.
“I was really pleased to be 3-0 up at half-time, and then you set the challenge to the lads, can they maintain that in the second half, and I was a little bit disappointed really in that the second half went flat, but it was all about getting the three points.
“In the second half I was more delighted in getting the clean sheet because we were so dominant, it was one-way traffic from the first ball to the last – they must have had two half shots.
“I was so pleased, and we’re nearly there.”
With Town well on their way to victory and Wadebridge leading 1-0 at home to Liskeard via Matt Lloyd’s first-half strike, news of James Rowe’s late equaliser for the east Cornwall side dashed Town’s hopes of being crowned champions on the day.
It means Town have to wait until Tuesday night at the earliest to be crowned champions, which they will be if Liskeard fail to beat Penryn Athletic at home. Failing that, the title will be secured if Town can take a point from their derby date at Penryn on Good Friday.
“It is a little bit [deflating], hearing that Wadebridge were up and you’re obviously hearing rumbles from the crowd and thinking, ‘What if?’ and then they score in the 78th minute,” Westgarth said. “But it was a valiant effort by Wadebridge to do what they’ve done. Credit to Wadebridge, that’s a good point for them.”
It was largely one-way traffic for much of the second half with the number of clear-cut chances running well into double figures, and Westgarth admitted frustration that his side did not convert more of their chances.
“I am a little bit disappointed with that and I think the boys all round [are disappointed],” he said, “but we had so many chances. [Luke] Brabyn could have had a hat-trick in about ten minutes.
“It was one of those ones when we were just waiting for that goal to go in, and without being disrespectful to St Dennis it got a little bit boring towards the end. But that being said, the atmosphere was great and I would have taken that before the game.”