HELSTON Athletic are through to their second final of the season after a win against Ilfracombe in the Les Phillips Cup semi-final.

Ilfracombe Town AFC hosted the Blues at Marlborough Park on May 1 for the semi-final game with both sides vying for a place in the final with either Shepton Mallet AFC or Brislington FC.

The game got off to a quick start with early calls for a Helston penalty waved away by the referee after Helston forward Wilson was brought down by Ilfracombe’s Toby Johnson.

Then, on the 18th minute, Helston rued their first decent chance to take the lead after a decent passage of play saw Shepherd passing the ball out to Copp on the edge of the area whose left-footed shot hit the post and come back out.

The loose ball was then collected by Elliot who couldn’t quite direct his subsequent effort goalward.

Helston appeared to have the momentum and, when a failed interception from Ilfracombe led to Colwell robbing his man, the Helston number seven lofted a cross to Shepherd who had positioned himself at the back post and proceeded to lay it back to Copp on the edge of the box.

Copp turned while under pressure from two Ilfracombe defenders and nudged the ball back to Shanley whose drilled attempt ended up hitting one of his teammates before the ball was put over the crossbar by Wilson.

Helston’s next chance came from a corner which initially found the head of Copp but was blocked before landing at the feet of Wilson who tried to tuck it under a fallen Ilfracombe defender and bury it but found the keeper instead.

As the first half drew to a close, Helston enjoyed the majority of possession, however, the two sides headed in all square at the end of the first 45 minutes.

Ilfracombe’s first real chance of the game came when a freekick from the centre circle was floated in and met by the head of Harry Taffs but Helston’s Keeper Mike Searle gathered it safely.

Ilfracombe’s next chance came from a goal kick which was collected by number three Jack Magarotto who delivered a low cross into the Helston area, finding his number nine teammate Harry Stevens, who managed to turn his man and lays the ball back but his teammates are slow to react to it. The shot that eventually came was scuffed and promptly cleared by the Helston defence who no doubt counted themselves lucky to have escaped the situation.

The opening goal came in a slightly odd fashion after some good football from Helston saw Copp feed Shepherd into the Ilfracombe area and an attempted clearance ricocheted off him and curls round the keeper into the back of the net.

The second came shortly after when an Ilfracombe throw-in was collected by Copp and played off to Shanley who put the ball through to Shepherd who steadied himself before striking the ball and finding the back of the net for the second time.

Ilfracombe tried to get back into the game with an attempt on goal from a free kick but were once again denied by Searle in the Helston goal.

Appeals for a penalty, this time from the Ilfracombe end, were waved away by referee Aidan Madden after a late tackle on Ilfracombe number 11, Tyler Evans-Loude.

As the minutes ticked away, tempers began to flare, leading to Ilfracombe’s number three Jack Magarotto receiving a second yellow card and sent off for an early shower.

The final score ended 0-2 to Helston.