Falmouth Town boss Andrew Westgarth admitted that his side 'didn't deserve anything' from their 3-0 defeat at local rivals Helston Athletic on Saturday.

Olly Brokenshire gave the Blues a slender half-time lead before Phil Cattran and Neil Slateford secured a record 18th consecutive South West Peninsula League Premier West victory over a lacklustre Town, who had former Helston midfielder Ryan Chinn sent off.

“I think the biggest winner was the weather, being totally honest,” Westgarth said. “We’ve had three really tough away games, conditions wise. Wendron, that was hard going, Dobwalls away was tough conditions, and Helston on Saturday, the pitch was questionable at best and the wind was a big factor.

“But take nothing away from it, we didn’t deserve anything from that game, and full credit to Helston for breaking the record, it’s no mean feat and you’ve got to give credit where credit’s due.”

While he admitted that his team did not deserve to win the game, Westgarth felt that a couple of key decisions went against his side during the match.

He referenced the awarding of the free-kick against Martyn Duff for Brokenshire's opening goal, which he believed to be soft, as well as a possible penalty call for a challenge on Chinn shortly before Cattran's goal.

“Fair credit to Helston, they deserved it, but a couple of key decisions probably went against us," he said. "A questionable soft free-kick on Goldie [Mark Goldsworthy] which we didn’t defend well at all from our point of view, but credit again to Helston, it was well worked.

“The penalty appeal on Chinner [Chinn], which conveniently was left out of the highlights video, and then it goes up the other end and Barnesy [Ryan Barnes] saves it, which was a great save to be fair to him. Was he [Cattran] offside? It doesn’t really matter, the goal is scored and at 2-0 the game is over.

“A bad day all round, really. Too many players weren’t at the races. The front three were as quiet as they’ve been all season and the midfield three just didn’t get into the game at all.”

The defeat further exemplified Falmouth’s differing form between league and cup competitions. Town romped to respective 5-1 and 3-2 wins over the Blues in the FA Vase and Cornwall Senior Cup earlier in the season, but have lost both league games, following a 2-1 defeat at Bickland Park in September.

Westgarth said: “I’ve said it before, the teams win the league because they’re the most consistent, whereas a cup game is on the day and we seem to always bring it on the day, but we’re just not very consistent and that’s the frustration.

“I said [to the team], ‘I don’t want you to leave anything in here and come to me after the game and say, “Sorry Westy, it was just a bad performance”, because it’s too easy to say that’, and it’s exactly what happened.

“I would say the only ones that could come out with any credit were Barnesy [Barnes], Scott Kellow and, at a little bit of a push, Duffy [Duff], but the rest were poor for their standards.

“The plus side is we can’t be that bad again and I’d like a reaction on Saturday.”

Town return to cup action on Saturday when they bid to reach the quarter-finals of the Walter C Parson League Cup, with Torridgeside the visitors to Bickland Park (ko 2.30pm).

Town beat Torridgeside, who are ninth in SWPL Premier East, at the same stage of the competition two years ago on their way to lifting the trophy. Jordan Annear, Luke Brabyn and Marcello Jones (2) secured victory for Town on that occasion.

The League Cup has been a happy hunting ground for Town in recent seasons, winning the tournament in 2018 and losing in the final in 2019.

The club have invited the whole of the Falmouth Lifeboat Crew and families to be guests of honour for the match.

The Falmouth Community Youth Football Club will also be guests at the game - following the club’s recently-created partnership with Town - and have taken up more than 200 free tickets on offer for the tie.

Manager Andrew Westgarth said: “I’ve never been so eager to get back to Bickland Park because, again no disrespect to the teams we’ve played, but they were three tough, tough games to play.

“Wendron’s facilities are fantastic but the weather was just outrageous. Dobwalls was tricky, tough changing rooms, tough pitch, tough team, that was hard, and Helston, the changing rooms are tough, pitch was awful and wind was awful.

“It makes you really appreciate Bickland Park so I’m looking forward to getting back there.

“It’s nice to play against Torridgeside again to see how far they’ve come. We’re expecting a massive crowd with Falmouth Community [Youth Football Club] joining forces with us and their whole club have been given free access of the ground, which is great.”

Town will be at home to St Blazey in the quarter-finals should they defeat Torridgeside.