SWPL WEST Launceston AFC 1 Liskeard Athletic 2
- Details
- Last Updated on Wednesday, 27 October 2021 18:42
- Published on Tuesday, 26 October 2021 22:11
- Written by KEVIN MARRIOTT at Pennygillam
LISKEARD ATHLETIC extended their unbeaten start to the Peninsula Premier league season to 11 games with a hard-earned victory over Launceston last night.Nick Aplin gave the Blues an 18th minute lead but they had to wait until six minutes from time to increase their advantage, with Max Gilbert curling in a superb free kick.
Former Liskeard striker Ben Waters reduced the arrears two minutes into time added on but there was no time for the home side to seek an unlikely equaliser.
This was my first look at Liskeard over 90 minutes this season and they remain good to watch. In James Rowe, Gilbert and Aplin they have added more quality to an already-strong squad.
After their ninth win of the season, they are now seven points behind runaway Peninsula West leaders Falmouth Town with a game in hand.
For Launceston, this was another slender defeat. They were over-run in the first half and should have been two or three goals adrift by half-time but in the second half they were far better and increasingly a threat.
Dan Hart and his coaching team worked hard on the touchline to cajole their players and in time the Clarets will start to get positive results if this level of commitment continues.
This fixture has been known to be feisty over the last few seasons and Jack Podmore’s eighth minute booking set the scene for a no-holds-barred first half.
Fortunately, the game had a strong referee in Bailey Walker, who handled some difficult situations with calm authority.
Liskeard swept ahead when a superb through ball from Gilbert found Aplin on the right edge of the penalty area and he cut in to fire an unstoppable left foot shot past Lewis Slade.
The visitors thought they had made it 2-0 five minutes later when a Dylan Peel header crashed against the underside of the bar, bounced down and was cleared. Liskeard’s players in the vicinity claimed the ball had crossed the line but the officials thought otherwise.
Liskeard piled on the pressure and after Macauley Thorp’s free kick had been spilled by Slade, James Lorenz looked favourite to bury the rebound but Slade recovered to deny him.
Lorenz was starting to influence the game with space along the right and it needed another good save from Slade to stop him in the 29th minute, with the keeper tipping the ball around the post for a corner.
Peel missed a golden opportunity a minute later when he was left unmarked from a corner but his header drifted over the bar.
Slade was back in the action in the 35th minute, spectacularly tipping over a 25-yard piledriver from Thorp.
The game threatened to turn ugly as half-time approached, with Peel yellow-carded for a challenge on Sam Clifton and Waters booked for a mistimed lunge from behind, which led to a melee in front of the dugouts.
On the stroke of half-time another incident, this time on the opposite side of the pitch, ended with Clarets skipper Clifton being sin-binned, and the interval came at a good time for all concerned.
Lorenz should have made it 2-0 four minutes into the second half after being played through on the left but he dragged his shot just wide of the far post with Slade beaten.
From this point Launceston started to get a grip on the game and Josh Harris came close to equalising on the hour with a header from a corner which flew inches wide.
Liskeard introduced Sam Carter in the 72nd minute and he should have scored with his first touch but he wanted too much time and his shot was blocked.
Two minutes later Waters cut in from the right and produced a fierce shot which Liskeard keeper Luke Gwillam did well to keep out.
Launceston were still well in the game but their hopes were dashed in the 84th minute when Gilbert stepped up to curl his free kick from 20 yards around the wall and into the net to give Liskeard a 2-0 lead.
Waters, who was never far from the action, had the final say with a goal in the second of three minutes of time added on.
Launceston L Slade, G Warren (O Newton 73), J Anderson, M Stainer, J Stidson, J Harris, M Elvidge, S Clifton, B Waters, J Hamson (D Hart 76), B Alcantara (S Cardiff 69).
Subs not used: T Hanrahan, T Wakeham.
Goal: B Waters 90+2.
Yellow cards: B Waters 42, G Warren 71, J Harris 83.
Sin bin: S Clifton 45+1.
Liskeard L Gwillam, H Bell, J Rowe (I Thomas 87), J Podmore, D Peel, M Thorp (R Cleveland 81), M Gilbert, J Lorenz, N Aplin, W Tucker (S Carter 71), B Collins.
Subs not used: H Mullis, M Outtram.
Goals: N Aplin 18 M Gilbert 84.
Yellow cards: J Podmore 8, D Peel 39, N Aplin 86.
Referee Bailey Walker
Attendance 123
SWSN Stars Launceston – Lewis Slade. Liskeard – Ben Collins
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