FALMOUTH TOWN 2

PLYMOUTH PARKWAY 5

Falmouth Town kicked off their season with defeat at home against title favourites Plymouth Parkway on Saturday.

The Devon side won 5-2, but despite the result it was a far from one-sided encounter, with the scores tied at 2-2 up until the 75th minute.

Town took the lead after three minutes when Paul Cox saw his close range shot parried by Parkway keeper Ben Elphick, and veteran striker Andy Westgath was on hand to tap in.

But Parkway hit back six minutes later when former Bodmin player Lee Rundle volleyed in, before doubling his tally seconds after the restart with a low shot from the centre of the penalty area.

After the break the game seemed to settle down, but on 69 minutes it exploded back into life when Falmouth were awarded a penalty for a handball in the box by a Parkway defender.

Up stepped Westgarth to plant his spot kick into the bottom corner and make it 2-2.

But Town were on level terms for barely a minute. 

Ryan Richards bundled in Parkway's third from close range, before Will Stringer scored a scrappy fourth.

Richards sealed the win for Parkway with a low drive from 20 yards out after Cooper's clearance dropped short.

Falmouth gave a debut to new signing Calron Hall from Truro City, and the central defender put in a calm and assured performance at the heart of Falmouth's defence.

The result left Town manager Robbie Stephens fuming, despite his side matching the title favourites for much of the game.

"We just cannot defend crosses into the box," Stephens said. "It's something we'll have to work on this week."

FALMOUTH: Burrows, Greet (Friend 65), Hall, Cooper, Webb, Richardson, Pope, Whipp, Timmons, Westgarth, Cox SUBS: Fearne, Vallejo, Retchford.