A SLOPPY mistake proved to be the defining moment of Saturday's clash between Falmouth Town and Elburton Villa.
With their visitors sat just one place above bottom in the South West Peninsula League Premier table, the match was one the Ambers were expecting to get three points from.
They looked set for the victory when Ed Timmons scored on the half hour mark, but then a mix up between goalkeeper Jason Peters and Jamie Webb gifted Steve Sims a goal for Villa.
It meant the game finished 1-1 and Town's manager Wayne Hughes said it was a disappointing draw for his side.
Hughes said: “This was a game we expected to win, but we did not get the break we needed in front of goal.
“I was really angry with the manner in which we conceded as it came from a lack of concentration.
“Conditions in the second half were awful with the rain and that in turn churned the pitch up and became a great leveller.
“Villa seemed happy to just hang on for the draw and we needed to be more clinical, braver and ruthless in front of goal.”
The visitors nearly opened the scoring in the fifth minute when Jacob Smale saw his piledriver of a shot, set up by Zach Wheeler's pull back, blocked by the defence.
Sam Bromley puts in a challenge on a cut up Bickland Park pitch. Picture: LUCAS CROYDON/CARTEL
It was Town who took the lead as expected when in the 30th minute Timmons, who has recently rejoined the club after heading to Illogan RBL in November, capitalised from a poor clearance to smash the ball home.
Many were expecting Falmouth to push on from here and ease to victory, but the game would not go to plan.
Just six minutes after taking the lead, the hosts saw Villa score an equaliser created by an unforced error.
Peters looked to pass the ball to team-mate Webb, but the defender was not aware of his goalkeeper's intentions and Sims nipped in to take the ball and score.
Town tried to up their game again, but struggled to handle the conditions as the rain fell heavily on Bickland Park, cutting up the turf.
Whenever they did a chance on goal, Villa goalkeeper Jack Ord was on hand to prevent their chances going over the line as he made a series of decent saves.
FALMOUTH: Peters, Webb, Whipp, Cooper (c), Sims, Hurst, Williams, Pope, Timmons (Appleton 75), Wearne (Bromley 65), Trevaskis (Squires 65).
UNUSED SUB: Kellow.
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