FALMOUTH TOWN 6-2 MILLBROOK
Falmouth Town managed to survive a potentially catastrophic defeat against opponents who have struggled this season and sit at the bottom of the Toolstation Western League table. The home side having been two goals down after 13 minutes in front of 189 hardy souls who had braved the gradually worsening weather.
Falmouth made a number of changes, presumably with Saturday’s FA Vase tie against Jersey Bulls in mind. Max Everall started in place of Bradley Leivers, Tom Fisher replaced Andreas Calleja-Stayne, Kian Thomas came in for Luke Brabyn, Jack Webber for Jared Simms and Jacob Grange started instead of Luke Barner.
Millbrook started strongly chasing every ball and it was from such pressure that Millbrook forced a mistake in the Town defence after 7 minutes. Jaiden Miller ran on to the ball as it broke down the right-hand side and steered the ball inside the far post past Morgan Coxhead in the Town goal.
Further troubles were to follow after 13 minutes when an under-hit back pass failed to reach the Falmouth centre-half and Louis Wilson pounced to again beat Coxhead to his right. It was 2-0 to Millbrook who were showing great pace and industry and not allowing Town to play.
Kian Thomas, making a rare start for Falmouth was looking to go past his full back and get to the by-line at every opportunity, and Tom Fisher was working hard and moving the ball well to try to get Falmouth going. The half was fairly even but on 32 minutes Falmouth made the important breakthrough. Oscar Massey drove a corner over from the left-hand side and Rubin Wilson attacked the near post and nodded the ball past Jamie Dudley in the Millbrook goal.
There was an inevitability now about the future course of the match, given the past form of the two teams and 11 minutes later Oscar Massey opened his account. He received the ball on the edge of the area, beat two players and lashed a right-foot shot past Dudley to make it 2 -2.
The half finished at 2-2 but Falmouth only had to wait 9 minutes after the break to take the lead for the first time. Kian Thomas received a pass down the left from Max Everall, cut inside and unleashed a great shot finding the net low to the keeper’s left.
Manager Andy Westgarth took this moment to make three changes with Andreas Calleja-Stayne, Jared Sims and Luke Barner replacing Tom Fisher, Jacob Grange and Jack Webber, and within 6 minutes it was 4-2. Kian Thomas whipped in a great cross from the left and found Luke Barner who centred it to Jared Sims who left it for Oscar Massey to beat the keeper from 10 yards out. After another 5 minutes it was 5-2 when Barner crossed from the right to Rubin Wilson who swivelled and found the net for his second.
Westgarth made his final two changes with Luke Brabyn and Cam Hutchinson replacing Kian Thomas and James Ward but the score was not added to until the last few minutes when Rubin Wilson, who had made a number of strong runs down the left, found Luke Barner who made no mistake from inside the box.
Both Massey and Wilson frustratingly had some chances to score their first hat-tricks for Town but a combination of great goalkeeping and the steadily deteriorating pitch conspired to make them have to wait for that particular milestone.
So, the game finished at 6-2 to Falmouth and importantly they didn’t seem to have picked up any further injuries or suspensions going into the club’s biggest game for many years on Saturday, when they travel to face Jersey Bulls in the 5th Round of the FA Vase. What an exciting day it will be for the players and supporters who will converge on the Springfields Stadium in St Helier. Falmouth will have to be at their very best against a side who are ranked as 2nd favourites to win the Vase at 5-1. Falmouth being ranked at 25-1 by the bookies. Good luck to the players and also the fans who will travelling by planes, trains, automobiles (and boats) to get to Jersey in time for the match, which will be played in front of a large crowd, Jersey Bulls having reported that they had sold more than 700 tickets already by Tuesday evening.
3 GAMES TO WEMBLEY!
WE DARE TO DREAM!!!
Att: 189.
Millbrook: Jamie Dudley, Adam Jones, James Robertson, Lewis Pacey, Abubacar Camara-Balde, Luke Moran, Jaiden Miller, Luis Hewings, Louie Wilson, Max Washburn, Cameron Mahoney. Subs: Ben Endean, Charlie Brown, Adam Beardsmore, Kobi Lau.
Referee: Nigel D’Arcy. Assistants: A. Smith, G. Rickard.