Falmouth Town moved up to sixth in the CSWPL premier division table with a 4-2 win over Bovey Tracey.

Liam Eddy struck twice for Town as they raced into a four goal lead before an injury to Jamie Dirrane forced them down to ten men and gave Bovey a route back into the match.

Bovey started the game at a fair pace with Shane Shobbrook proving very lively on the right wing. Indeed, after only four minutes he went on a run that saw him cut in towards the area and hit a shot that flew across the face of the Town goal. Five minutes later he put over a high cross which Mike Turner headed goal-ward, but it was cleared away for a corner from which the home side’s captain, Ben Robinson, tried a shot at goal but saw it blocked in the crowded area.

Town had a free kick a few minutes later which Jonny Ludlam hit over into the middle where Ryan Bushby tried a shot that flew over the bar. James Miller started a good move on the right for Town that Matt Hollands was involved in. He returned the ball to Miller who slipped it into the path of Liam Eddy, but home keeper Tom Buckler was quick to come off his line and smother the Town striker’s shot.

Both sides forced a couple of corners as play switched from end to end, and during this spell Bovey had Robinson and Craig Duff booked for fouls by referee Dave Harding.

Falmouth took the lead after 28 minutes. A corner was only partially cleared and from out on the left, James Miller hit the ball back in towards goal so fiercely that Buckler could only help it into his own goal.

Ludlam, was having a good game, keeping the Bovey midfield busy with his probing runs and deft passes and from one of these Dan Green should have done better when he hit his shot straight at the keeper from close in. Shortly before the interval, Josh Sims came to Town’s rescue as a Bovey corner saw him clearing a header off the goal line.

Falmouth doubled their lead in the first minute of the second half. Following a Dan Green throw-in, the ball fell to Matt Drummond and he hit a low shot past the keeper from eight yards. Four minutes later it was three nil as this time Drummond turned provider as he played a sweet through ball to Eddy who lost his marker to shoot past Buckler from close in.

Two minutes later the home side were reduced to ten men when Craig Duff lunged in on a Town defender sending him sprawling and the referee showed him his second yellow card.

Following this James Greet came on to replace Matt Hollands. Eddy and Dan Green were quick to take advantage of the extra space and they worked a one-two which resulted in Buckler making a good save from Eddy’s shot.

Falmouth extended their lead to four goals after 65 minutes when Drummond, who was unmarked on the right, took the ball on a few paces before knocking it into Eddy who shot home for his 11 goal from 14 games so far this season.

Following this Town made a double substitution with Nigel Thwaites and Tom Barwell coming on to replace Ludlam and Miller.

Bovey suddenly came to life a couple of minutes later as Mark Young and Shane Shobbrook combined well to beat Ross Pope and Dirrane to pull a goal back. Dirrane then had to leave the field after a hard tackle on him and being unable to carry on Town had to play the rest of the game with only ten men as they had already used all three substitutes.

As a result Bovey scored again. Shobbrook hit a scorching shot from 25 yards that flew into the back of the net like a bullet. The final fifteen minutes saw Bovey pushing forward, but Town’s defence sharpened up and prevent any more goals from being conceded.

The result is a valuable three points for Town as they head into a crunch four days in their title campaign. They face last year’s runner’s up Bodmin Town at Priory Park this evening (Wednesday) and then play second-placed Plymouth Parkway at Bickland Park on Saturday.