DAVID Broglino scored a hat-trick as Falmouth Town came from behind to knock nine-man rivals Helston Athletic out of the Cornwall Senior Cup.

The defending champions fell behind early on when Olly Brokenshire fired in for the Blues, but Broglino levelled from the spot shortly after, before turning the tie around with a fine free kick early in the second half.

He completed his treble from the spot midway through the second half to give Town some breathing space, and while Brokenshire pulled one back with a penalty late on, Town held on to dump the Blues out of a cup competition for the second time this season.

Billy Tucker and Jason Robertson both saw red for Helston, with Tucker receiving his marching orders after Town's second penalty award, while Robertson picked up a second yellow at full time. Matt Bye was also sin-binned for the Blues.

Helston started the stronger of the two sides and threatened after six minutes when Ryan Barnes had to parry Phil Cattran's header away from goal.

The Blues weren't to be denied for long and took the lead from the resulting corner, which was half cleared to Brokenshire on the corner of the box, who drove a shot through the bodies and into the far corner.

But Town replied almost instantly after the referee spotted a foul in the box following a long throw, with Broglino converting his fourth penalty in two games.

Luke Brabyn was threatening for the hosts, forcing one top save from Robertson before striking the far post with a deft shot from Broglino's pass.

Town took their pressure up a notch shorty before the break, with Brabyn and Broglino having shots blocked before Luke Johnson and Joe Cooper came close from successive corner kicks.

The last action of the first half fell to the visitors, who squandered a big chance right on half time as Tucker's low cross was missed by Cooper, with the ball eventually being bundled away before the South West Peninsula League Premier West's top-scorer Mark Goldsworthy could fire in at the near post.

The teams went in level at the break but Falmouth edged ahead seven minutes into the second half. Helston conceded a free kick on the edge of their box and Robertson was rooted to his spot as Broglino placed it into the top corner.

Helston tried to hit back quickly and nearly did so when Tucker danced through three or four challenges and surged into the box, but Barnes raced out to claim the ball at his feet.

But Town soon doubled their advantage when Tucker brought down the onrushing Brabyn, earning himself a second yellow while Robertson was booked for kicking the ball away.

Broglino eventually stepped up to fire home from the spot again for his fifth penalty in three days and complete his second hat-trick in the same amount of time.

The game ground to a halt in the 74th minute when Town's Toby Clark and Helston duo Alex Wharton and Goldsworthy collided in the air. Clark and Wharton picked themselves up but, after a four-minute delay, Goldsworthy had to be carried off the pitch.

The Blues continued to rally and gave themselves a lifeline in the 82nd minute when the referee awarded a penalty, with Brokenshire's kick proving too powerful for Barnes, who got a hand to the strike.

Helston dictated much of the play in the final minutes as they tried to find an equaliser, but struggled to test Barnes as Town's defence stood firm throughout nearly eight minutes of additional time before finally securing victory.

Blues goalkeeper Robertson was shown a second yellow card after the final whistle had gone, to compound a miserable afternoon for the Blues.

Falmouth: R Barnes, D Blizzard, B Oliver, R Chinn, J Cooper, T Clark, L Barner (W Harding 40), D Broglino, L Brabyn, S Pickup, L Johnson (R Pope 90+4). Subs (unused): R Talbot, S Parker-Billinge, C Davis.

Helston: J Robertson, K Davies, G Roberts, R Beattie, C Wheat, O Brokenshire, B Tucker, M Bye, N Slateford (A Flack 67), M Goldsworthy (J James 78), P Cattran (A Wharton 67). Subs: S Beattie, K Daughtery.