Walter C Parson League Cup: St Austell 0-1 Falmouth Town

JORDAN Annear's second-half strike was enough to send defending champions Falmouth Town into the semi-finals of the Walter C Parson League Cup at the expense of St Austell on Wednesday night.

In a game of few clear-cut chances at Poltair Park, it was Annear's 69th-minute tap-in that proved to be the winner for the cup holders.

Town have now won nine consecutive games in the League Cup following last season's success.

Annear could, and maybe should, have put Town in front in the sixth minute when he was left unmarked in the box and fired a shot against the post.

Liam Eddy missed a golden opportunity to score the opener for the hosts on 13 minutes. He glided past the Town defence but lacked composure when one-on-one with Ryan Barnes, sending the shot well over from eight yards.

David Broglino then thought he was the one to have broken the deadlock three minutes later when he raced onto Luke Brabyn's pass and fired into the bottom corner, but the offside flag quickly curtailed any celebrations.

Joe Cooper then gave St Austell 'keeper Jason Chapman some catching practice with a header from a corner, before Neil Slateford did the same with Barnes with a strike at the other end.

Some home fans thought their side had taken the lead on the half-hour mark when Jack Calver's effort took a wicked deflection off a Falmouth body and headed towards the top corner but, despite some premature cheers from the stands, it dropped just wide.

Tim Nixon looked dangerous on the left flank throughout but also threatened from dead balls, taking aim with a curled free-kick that whistled past the top corner.

Town had the greater number of chances but St Austell were threatening on the counter, with Eddy again beating the defence shortly before the break but his touch let him down and allowed Barnes to see the ball out.

The second half was a slow burner at first with little goalmouth action until Eddy drew a good save from Barnes on 63 minutes, with David Blizzard able to scramble the ball away before Chris Reski could tap the rebound in.

But Town delivered the crucial blow six minutes later when Nixon showed great skill to control a long ball forward and take it away from the onrushing Chapman before laying it on a plate for Annear, who had enough time to set himself before slotting into the empty net.

The goal brought Annear to life with the frontman missing a couple of chances to double the lead. First he drew a top save out of Chapman from six yards - although the flag had gone up anyway - before curling inches wide of the top corner from the edge of the box.

The intensity cranked up a notch as the game entered the final ten minutes. Annear sent a delightful outside-of-the-boot effort a foot wide of the top corner before Barnes made a vital stop from Martin Watts at the other end.

It was approaching last chance saloon for the hosts but they almost forced extra-time in the final minute of the 90 when Eddy got his head to a cross, but saw the effort drop wide.

Town will now face one of Elburton Villa, Mousehole, Ivybridge Town, Cullompton Rangers, Saltash United or Launceston in the semi-finals in March.

St Austell: J Chapman, W Tinsley, J Calver, M Watts, T Chambers, D Hart (J Rogers 75), C Reski, O Brokenshire, L Eddy, H Turner (M Lloyd 80), N Slateford. Subs: (unused): M Goldsworthy, K Powell, C Kilbey.

Falmouth: R Barnes, D Blizzard, O Moody, R Martt, J Cooper, J Ward, D Broglino, M Duff (S Pickup 90), L Brabyn, J Annear (M Buchan 90), T Nixon. Subs (unused): R Allen, A Westgarth, C Davis.