FALMOUTH Town became the first-ever winners of the Kevin Williamson Memorial Shield after winning 3-0 at Wendron United in the South West Peninsula League Premier West on Boxing Day.

Luke Brabyn and Tim Nixon put Town two goals up at the break, with Jack Bowyer making sure of victory in the second half as Falmouth became the first team to put their name on the Shield.

The Shield will be played for in the first league match between the two teams every season and is in memory of former Wendron chairman Kevin Williamson, who died in February.

The game doubled up as a charity fundraiser, with the clubs holding a collection for the Cornwall Air Ambulance, who did an admirable job in attending to Kevin when he collapsed at the ground following the Dron’s victory over Porthleven on February 8.

There were plenty of Falmouth Town supporters to help boost the collection coffers, and it was those away fans who were celebrating when Brabyn opened the scoring in the eighth minute, striding into the box and firing a low shot past Dan Stedman from a tight angle.

Wendron threatened afterwards via Jack Stocker’s free kick and Joe Chapman’s strike from 25 yards, with Town ‘keeper Ryan Barnes equal to both efforts.

Town were largely on top, however, with Brabyn testing Stedman at the other end before Luke Johnson passed up a brilliant chance to double the advantage, rolling his shot against the base of the upright when through on goal.

But the crucial blow came in the 30th minute when Wendron striker Rory Jarvis beat the Town defence and raced through on goal but was superbly denied by Barnes. Town countered through Martyn Duff and Nixon, with the latter’s shot being saved by Stedman, only for the Falmouth man to slide in the rebound from a tight angle.

That goal knocked the stuffing out of the hosts, with that and a combination of the heavy rain making for a fairly uneventful end of the half.

That was in stark contrast to the start of the second half, with Joe Cooper having a shot blocked and Nixon blazing over for Town, while TJ Walter fired a shot against the stanchion for the hosts - all inside the first seven minutes of the second period.

The next few minutes were more sedate until Town scored the all-important third goal in the 72nd minute. It was a moment to forget for Stedman, who misread Bowyer’s whipped cross from the touchline and saw the ball squeeze through his legs and into the net.

Matt Buchan came off the bench for Town soon after the third goal, and the striker was quickly denied a goal on two occasions, with one being blocked by a defender and the other well saved by Stedman.

Falmouth’s attempts to find a fourth were thwarted once again late on, with Buchan turning provider when his low cross found Brabyn, who was sliding into the six-yard box, but Stedman did well to hold the effort.

Wendron United: D Stedman, F Robinson, R Carroll (H Fuller), S Palmer, D Tarrant (K Thomas 83), B Ringrose, J Chapman (R Tresidder 63), J Stocker, T Walter, R Jarvis, C Mulroy. Subs (unused): Y Briar, F Walter, S Young, L Potts.

Falmouth: R Barnes, S Kellow, O Moody, R Chinn, J Cooper, J Ward, L Johnson (J Bowyer 65), D Broglino (D Blizzard 76), L Brabyn, M Duff, T Nixon (M Buchan 76). Subs (unused): S Parker-Billinge, S Pickup.