Helston Athletic 3, Penzance 2 (AET)

SCOTT Beattie’s 118th-minute strike gave Helston Athletic victory in their Cornwall Senior Cup first round tie at Kellaway Park on Friday night.

Phil Cattran put the Blues two goals up inside 14 minutes, but Mark Vercesi’s double earned Penzance parity at the interval.

No further goals in the second half meant the game headed to extra-time, and with the tie seemingly headed for penalties it was Beattie who popped up at the death to send the Blues through.

The hosts were in front inside seven minutes when the ball fell to Cattran in space on the right side of the box, who found the bottom corner with a nicely-struck effort.

Just seven minutes later and it was 2-0 when Cattran found the other corner with a powerful strike from Ryan Holland's free-kick.

However the Magpies hit back on the half-hour mark when veteran Vercesi lobbed Helston ‘keeper Barrie Wyatt, before almost levelling it when he beat the offside trap but could not do the same with Wyatt on this occasion.

But he did find his way through again on the stroke of half-time, firing a powerful header through a crowd of bodies and over the line.

A good bit of pressure from Penzance early in the second half allowed Callum George to test Wyatt before Andreas Stayne shot wide shortly after.

But it was the hosts who looked more likely of grabbing a late winner, with Cattran seeing his hopes of a hat-trick denied by the crossbar before Blues substitute Tyler Cheshire was denied by Mikey Flores.

Flores repeated the trick in superb style in the final minute of the 90 when he produced an excellent flying stop to tip Cheshire’s goalbound effort away from the top corner.

The game went to extra-time and Helston should have been 3-2 up when Flores dropped Kirk Davies' cross in front of Cattran, but the striker – still searching for his hat-trick – could only clear the crossbar with his attempt.

Both sides continued to trade blows with Penzance substitute Luke Carroll testing Wyatt before Helston duo Louis Roberts and Al Williams sent shots high and wide respectively.

The Magpies should have taken the lead on 115 minutes when Callum George raced clear of the Helston defence but shot wide of the post when the net should have bulged.

But it was the Blues who snatched the late winner in the 118th minute when Beattie headed at Flores, with the effort rebounding off a defender's legs and back to the Helston frontman to poke home and send the hosts into the second round.

Helston: B Wyatt, K Davies, G Roberts, R Beattie, J Cooper, R Chinn, T Cooke (A Williams 58), R Holland (L Roberts 58), S Beattie, P Cattran, J Thirkle (A Williams 58). Subs: L Roberts, A Williams, T Cheshire, H Jewell, S Jewell.

Penzance: M Flores, R Evans, G Matthews, K Lawrence, J Vercesi, J Storey (L Carroll 84), C George, A Staynes, M Vercesi, B Wills, A Williams. Subs: L Carroll, F Cadman, J Otto.

  • Helston return to SWPL Premier action on Saturday, October 13, when they welcome Callington Town to Kellaway Park.