A FANTASTIC start to the weekend was provided to Falmouth Town fans as their side moved level on points with South West Peninsula League Premier leaders Bodmin Town on Friday.

The Ambers defeated Newquay 3-2 at Bickland Park in an entertaining game to chalk up a third victory in the opening five games of the season.

With Bodmin playing in the FA Cup against St Austell and Launceston only managing a draw at Stoke Gabriel on Saturday, it means Town moved to second in the table with only goal difference keeping them off the top spot.

Depending on the result in tonight's game between Helston Athletic and St Austell, Falmouth could move down to third, but confidence is certainly on the up within the camp.

Commenting on this, player-manager Andrew Westgarth said: "To be honest, the confidence has always been there, even in pre-season.

"What the difference now is that the players have the belief in themselves again and have gone from the bad habit of losing games to the winning habit."

It took Town 44 minutes to break the deadlock when Westgarth converted a spot-kick after Glen Squires was brought down in the penalty area.

However, they still managed to lose their lead before the interval as the Peppermints scored an equaliser almost immediately.

A mistake on the halfway line from the hosts saw their opponents set up the chance with Jordan Annear scything through the defence with his trademark pace to slot the ball home.

This gave Newquay momentum going into the second half as they looked to be in the ascendency, but it was Town who would go back in front 12 minutes after the break as Connor Rhodes threaded a pass through the away defence.

His ball found Westgarth, who did the rest against his former club, scoring at the second attempt after ex-Falmouth goalkeeper parried his first shot.

Another old Peppermint striker put Town further ahead in the 82nd minute as he cut in from the left before sending the ball into the far corner of the net.

A tense finale was set up though when Luke Hodges pulled a goal back for the Peppermints late on, but despite the frantic end to the game, Town held on to the result.

The action continued after the final whistle as Newquay midfielder Sam Fearon was sent off after the final whistle following an altercation.

Both sides will get to do it all over again on Saturday as they meet again in the FA Vase first qualifying round at Bickland Park.

FALMOUTH: Barnes, Wormington, Cooper (c), Whipp, Timmons, Rhodes (Clarke 70), Killen (Pope 55), Vanes, Tripconey, Westgarth (Smith 80), Squires.

UNUSED SUB: Westlake.