The top two sides in the South West Peninsula League Premier West successfully cancelled each other out as Falmouth Town and Liskeard Athletic played out a largely uneventful 0-0 contest at Bickland Park on Tuesday evening.

The result, which was Town's first league draw of the season, moves them to 88 points at the top of the league as they head into their season finale at home to Dobwalls where they will raise the league title after the match. 

Liskeard have now all but confirmed their spot as second place in the table. Athletic have a game more than third-placed Wendron to play and although their lead is just three points they have a much superior goal difference of 33. 

Falmouth Town boss Andrew Westgarth made just the one change heading into the fixture with Kirk Davies replacing Tom Annear who had picked up a nasty head injury against Newquay on the weekend. 

There was a place on the bench for Western League winner Liam Prynn, who has been registered all season for Town but last week concluded his Tavistock season with promotion.

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Abnormally, Town were shooting towards the Packet End for the first 45 as Liskeard opted to play with the sun on their side. There was a half-chance straight from kick-off as Tim Nixon fed the lively Jack Bray-Evans in behind but his left-footed effort was simple for Luke Gwilliam to gather.

Liskeard were proving difficult to break down and the second-place side had two opportunities to take the lead on the 12-minute mark. After a surge and cross from the left wing the ball landed at the feet of James Rowe in the area, his powerful drive was well blocked before Fin Bartlett could only put the rebound wide right of the target.

Town's best opportunity of the game to score came after 16 minutes through the league's top talisman Bray-Evans. A deep corner picked out James Ward at the back post. The centre back nodded the header into the feet of the number nine in the middle, but much to the annoyance of the Falmouth man several blue shirts threw themselves in the way to avert the danger.

One of the moments of the half, if not the game was when a Falmouth mascot dressed in a 'Pikachu' outfit found themselves rolling down the bank and nearly onto the pitch after 21 minutes much to the amusement of the crowd and the benches.

Town were always the more likely to score of the two sides but that moment of quality was found lacking for the usually potent attack force. Luke Barner's inswinging cross proved dangerous, but ultimately just centimetres too far in front of the flying Alex Wharton with 26 minutes played.

On the half-hour mark, Bray-Evans might have felt he could have done better when he found himself free in the box after a dinked cross from Wharton. But the striker's effort flew wide of the desired target.

After 36 minutes Falmouth custodian Ryan Barnes was at full stretch to make a diving save to deny Max Gilbert a set-piece goal. The midfielder's free-kick was struck with venom but the keeper did well to scramble across his line to parry away. Athletic kept the attack alive on the right with young full-back Harvey Mullis, his cross found the feet of Ben Collins but his looping volley again found the arms of Barnes.

Falmouth's Nixon did well to scamper away from two closing defenders on the left-wing in the 44th minute, the winger's low cross was again thwarted by a covering Liskeard player. In first-half stoppage time, Town tested visiting shot-stopper Gwilliam again as Barner directed a low free-kick toward the far post. But the keeper's excellence kept the scores level going into the break.

The beginning of the second half proved to be a tight affair as both sides saw counter-attacks falter at the all-important moment. Liskeard substitute Lee Mann made his introduction known shortly after coming on by picking up a yellow card for a recklessly late challenge on Scott Kellow after 53 minutes. 

The referee was forced to head to his pocket again five minutes later after Ward was brought down after the whistle had been blown. It wasn't this that brought the attention of the referee but more the reaction of Kirk Davies who was sent to the sin bin for dissent in the aftermath of the melee between the sides which also saw Assistant Manager Charlie Davis sent to the stands.

The extra space allowed for Liskeard to get their top scorer James Lorenz into more dangerous territory. But the striker, on 25 goals for the season could only blaze wildly over the bar shortly after the hour from outside the box.

Andreas Calleja-Stayne was the next in the book for bringing down the advancing Lorenz. But as so often the case in the fixture, the following free-kick from Gilbert was never going to trouble Barnes between the sticks as it flew into the terrace behind the goal.

After 71 minutes there were big shouts for a penalty when Ward, who is so commonly a threat from corners, went to ground in a coming together with a Liskeard man. But the referee saw nothing doing and elected play to continue.

Lorenz had another go on 72 minutes as Liskeard threatened on the counter but Barnes was down quickly to deny the striker. 

Town looked for a winner and sent strike duo Liam Prynn and Jack Bowyer on in search of the elusive goal.

They had their closest attempt of the second half with 12 minutes left on the clock after Mullis was adjudged to have handled a cross on the perimeter of the box. But Bray-Evans' low effort was flicked wide by a trailing foot of the wall to divert the ball narrowly past the upright.

Lorenz threatened again on the counter for the visitors with 85 minutes played but elected to square the ball rather than shoot when Athletic had a two vs one counter. His pass was well cut out by backtracking yellow and black shirt though.

Bray-Evans had one final sniff at goal in stoppage time but dragged a low shot wide from outside of the box as both sides settled for a point in the penultimate league game of Falmouth's season. 

Town's last game is at home to Dobwalls on Saturday where they will raise the league title. 

Team Lineups: 
Falmouth Town: R. Barnes, A. Thompson, K. Davies, J. Ward, T. Moxham, A. Calleja-Stayne, S. Kellow, T. Nixon, A. Wharton, L. Barner, J. Bray-Evans.
Subs: L. Prynn, D. Broglino, J. Bowyer, L. Brabyn

Liskeard Athletic: L. Gwilliam, H. Mullis, M. Outtram, J. Rowe, D. Peel, M. Thord, M. Gilbert, J. Lorenz, F. Bartlett, B. Collins.
Subs: J. Podmore, L. Mann