Helston Athletic Cornwall Senior Cup champions 2023

The Blues won the Cornwall Senior Cup on Easter Monday after a thrilling cup final penalty shootout against Millbrook which saw them net all five of their spot kicks, while Millbrook had their first attempt saved. 

The Blues opened the scoring just six minutes into the first half when a long ball from Harrison Jewell found Riki Shepherd who slotted it passed the keeper.

Helston went ahead twice during open play (Image: JQ Photography)

At the half-time whistle, Helston were still ahead and held on for another 20 minutes before Millbrook managed to work an equaliser from a free-kick. 

After 90 minutes, the two sides were yet to be separated and extra time got underway.

The breakthrough finally came in the opening minutes of the second half of extra-time as Tom Payne scored a close-range header against his former club to put the Blues in front yet again. 

However, Millbrook wasn't done yet. Just 90 seconds after conceding, the Magpies clawed their way back into the competition with a close-range header from Ed Goodman.

The game eventually went to penalties (Image: Tyler Bowden)

After 120 minutes of open play, the two teams still could not be separated, and so it went to that most dreaded of all footballing occasions, a cup final penalty shootout. 

Helston went first and scored all five of their spot kicks, while Millbrook had their first effort saved and trailed until the end, leaving the final score 2-2 (5-4p). 

Helston Manager Matt Cusack told The Packet: "As finals go, it was true to form in the sense that it was my fifth final as a manager and I don't think I ever come away thinking that my team have played particularly well on the day. 

Both teams scored in extra time, leading to a dreaded cup final shootout (Image: Tyler Bowden)

"We probably saved one of our poorest performances recently for the final, but I'd have to credit he opposition for that.

"I thought we started the game really well and got the early goal through Ricky Shepherd and I felt that we would come on stronger in the second half as we were playing into the wind a little during the first half.

"We said at half time that the performance really hasn't been good enough and if we could improve in certain areas we would fair well, but that never really happened.

Helston netted all five of their spot kicks (Image: JQ Photography)

"We got to extra time, which we probably didn't need after playing 90 minutes on Friday, but we got through it.

"Then we did nudge ourselves in front through Tom Payne, and great work from Jordan Copp to find him. When we went 2-1 up at half time, I thought 'oh that's it now' because they weren't peppering our goal as such so I thought 'we'll seal this now.' 

"Then literally, within two minutes, we conceded again through another set play, it was almost a carbon copy, I think the goalkeeper will be disappointed.

Helston were crowned Cornwall Senior Cup winners 2023 (Image: JQ Photography)

"At that point, I thought 'this is going to go to pens now' and it did, but it was a chance for the big man to redeem himself, and he did with the first penalty he saved.  

"I thought our penalties were great, we executed all five of ours and now we've written ourselves into the history books, which is fantastic."

The Packet will bring you more reaction to Helston's Cornwall Senior Cup final win next week.