Peter Bennett, Falmouth Town’s all-time third-highest goalscorer and a hero of their historic 1962 giant-killing FA Cup run, has died at the age of 76 after a long illness.

He was part of the all-conquering treble-winning team of 1961-62 (South Western League, League Cup and Cornwall Senior Cup) and he scored the two goals that saw Town beat Bath City 2-1 to reach the FA Cup First Round Proper against Oxford United.

According to Cornish soccer statistician Mike Odgers, Bennett’s 182 goals from 149 appearances was by far the best Falmouth goals-per- game ratio.

He finished third on the all-time Falmouth historical list behind Joe Scott (206 goals) and Danny Sullivan (186). Bennett scored 55 goals in 39 games for Town in 1961-62 and 38 in 30 in 1962-63.

After four seasons as top scorer with Bideford in the Western League, he returned to Falmouth and scored 56 goals in 44 appearances in 1967-68 and 33 in 36 in 1968-69.

In 1967-68 he helped Falmouth reach the FA Cup First Round Proper for the second time. No other Cornish club has ever reached this far in the competition, although Falmouth (without Bennett) did so again in 1969-70.

Bennett had a second spell at Bideford before crossing the Tamar once more to play for Bodmin Town. He was also player-manager at St Austell in 1973-74, taking over after a mass exodus of players to Saltash United.

For most of his time at Falmouth and Bideford, he was in the same side as wing wizard Johnny Penny. The pair formed a lethal combination, with the 6ft 3in Bennett profiting from Penny’s supply line of pinpoint crosses.

Bennett also played for the short-lived Plymouth City team in the Western League in 1970.