Falmouth won their first game on 2009 with this spirited display at a hot and sunny Edge Down Park against mid table Witheridge on Saturday.

The three points gained could prove vital as bottom club Elburton Villa have put together a good run and the gap between them and Town, and subsequent relegation, was getting a bit too close for comfort.

Witheridge created a good chance as early as the third minute. David Hood and Matt Snell combined well in midfield and they put Steve Ebdy through but he hit his shot over the bar.

A couple of minutes later Matt Drummond latched onto a stray pass and took the ball past a defender and the keeper as he ran along the six yard box but he contrived to flick the ball wide of the empty net.

After ten minutes Neil Slateford took the ball past a couple of defenders out wide on the left and cut it back into Drummond whose fiercely hit shot from fifteen yards struck the foot of the post with keeper Chris Wright well beaten.

After 18 minutes Ebdy brought a good save out of Jason Chapman as he tipped the ball around the post.

Witheridge took a short corner with Chris Vinnicombe playing the ball to Richard Lamacraft and his precision cross caught the defence napping and Matt Snell headed in at the far post to give the home team the lead.

Midway through the half Nick Pugliese fed a good ball out to Drummond and as he cut into the penalty area he appeared to be brought down but referee Tony Cloak was not impressed and waved play on.

Play switched to the other end and the lively Ebdy beat Town's offside trap and ran through but Chapman closed in on him and the forward hit the ball over the bar.

A few minutes later Richard Kellow made a good challenge on Perry Carpenter as he raced towards Town's goal forcing him to shoot wide.

Just before the interval Slateford and Drummond combined well and Slateford's shot brought a good save from Wright.

Town thought they had equalised two minutes after the restart when following a corner, Huw Howlett’s header hit the post and flew waist-high along the goal line amongst a huddle of players before being cleared away. The referee at first seemed to award a goal but as the players were making their way back to the halfway line, the referee's assistant had a word with him and the eventual outcome was a goal kick.

If anything this spurred Town's players on and with Nick Pugliese pushing forward more the home defence found themselves under much more pressure.

After 50 minutes Pugliese got a good ball from Jamie Thomson and tried a long looping shot which Wright just managed to tip over the bar for a corner.

Bobby Bryant came on in place of Rob Carey after 62 minutes and he and Kellow combined well on the left flank to cause even more problems for Witheridge.

One such move resulted in Drummond’s shot being turned around the post for a corner, from which there was some pushing in the area and Falmouth were awarded a penalty. Pugliese stepped up to take the kick and duly despatched it past Wright to level the scores and notch his first Town goal.

Within three minutes Town were in front, Chapman’s clearance found Kellow and his first time ball into Drummond saw the striker draw the keeper out before slotting the ball home.

There followed some scrappy play which culminated in Withy’s Perry Carpenter being sent off five minutes from time as his two-footed tackle on Thomson near the edge of the penalty area sent the Town player sprawling.

The home side forced a couple of late corners but Chapman and Sean Flynn between them saw off any danger as Town held on for their first win in five months.

Saturday sees them travelling to Plymouth for a huge and crucial six-pointer with Elburton Villa, the only team below them. Kick off is at 3pm.