SWPL WEST Saltash United 4 AFC St Austell 4

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Created on Wednesday, 09 September 2020 22:06

Last Updated on Friday, 11 September 2020 10:32

Published on Wednesday, 09 September 2020 22:06

Written by KEVIN MARRIOTT at Kimberley

Saltash scored twice in the last eight minutes to rescue a point after they trailed 4-1 to an exciting young St Austell side at Kimberley.

Skipper Dave Barker was on hand to crash the ball into the roof of the net after 85 minutes to make it 4-4 and set up a thrilling finale which saw both sides have chances to seal victory.

An hour into a hugely entertaining encounter, things looked bleak for the Ashes with St Austell leading 4-1 and looking capable of adding more goals.

Barker drilled in a 61st minute penalty after Sam Farrant was felled by keeper Jason Chapman and it was then one way traffic until Mikey Smith smashed in Saltash’s third on 82 minutes.

St Austell - who this season have decided to go with a youthful outfield squad - came out of the traps like a sprinter and swept ahead in the third minute.

Tiago Soares burst clear from the halfway line, taking all in his stride. His shot was parried by Saltash keeper Shaun Hillier but only into the path of Cameron Bidgood, who fired into the net.

Bidgood almost got a second in the seventh minute but his goal-bound shot was deflected just over the bar by the head of Callum O’Brien.

It was 2-0 after 22 minutes, Bidgood again on hand to poke the ball into the net after holding off two Saltash challenges inside the penalty area.

The Ashes had been poor in the first half and needed a big improvement but before it came they slipped further behind in the 48th minute as Chris Kilbey sprinted wide of keeper Hillier before shooting into an empty net.

Smith gave the home side a lifeline with a well struck goal on 51 minutes but it seemed there was no stopping the Lillywhites, with Kilbey unmarked at the far post to finish off Soares’ pinpoint cross from the right six minutes later.

Then came a Saltash fightback inspired by substitute Danny Lewis, whose quality was too much for a tiring opposition.

Great credit to both sides. St Austell are going to make a lot of friends if they continue to play like this; Saltash somehow found the character to salvage something from a disastrous position.

SWSN Star Tiago Soares 

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