FALMOUTH Town manager Andrew Westgarth “feared the worst” after his side’s slow start at Plymouth Argyle on Saturday, which saw them go three goals down after just 20 minutes.

Town recovered to pull two goals back through Tim Nixon and James Ward before eventually going down 4-2 as their disappointing away form continued. Town have won just four of their 15 South West Peninsula League games on the road this season.

Westgarth said: “I feared the worst after 20 minutes if I’m to be totally honest. [We were] on a heavy pitch and the conditions were horrific and to go 3-0 down I thought ‘this is going to be a long afternoon’.

“But full credit to the lads, we responded really well after half-time and kept our shape well and won the second half 2-1 so there was a pleasing side to it, but defensively the goals we conceded were very uncharacteristic.

“The bigger picture was obviously Tuesday and the cups but that’s not to say that I was happy losing 4-2.”

Town play St Austell in their Cornwall Senior Cup semi-final at Newquay AFC tonight, with Westgarth choosing to rest a couple of players on their trip to Devon on Saturday in preparation for that tie.

Luke Brabyn and David Broglino have been two regular faces in the Falmouth starting line-up over the last two seasons, but both made cameos from the bench instead with Westgarth having one eye on the big cup tie.

“We had one eye on Tuesday,” he said. “We rested a few players and it was just unfortunate that you play a top side before a semi-final, whereas St Austell played Godolphin on a Friday so they get an extra day’s rest and a home fixture and one they should win, so preparation wise St Austell have probably got the upper hand.”

Westgarth led the line for the majority of Saturday’s match in the continued absence of any other recognised striker in his squad, having done so in recent games against Godolphin Atlantic and Callington Town.

It had been hoped that Matt Buchan would have been fit to reclaim his place in the Town attack by now, but the frontman has had yet another setback in his attempts to return from a hamstring injury he suffered back in October.

“I’ve never known anything like it," Westgarth said. "It started off with a hamstring injury against Helston back at the end of October and here we are in March and he basically hasn’t played since.

“He’s had so many treatments, countless rehab sessions and I just can’t put my finger on it, I’ve never known an injury like it, it’s been the best part of six months now.”