Falmouth Town 5, Buckland Athletic 2 - FA Vase, October 2011

FALMOUTH Town made it through to the second round of the FA Vase as they thrashed Carlsberg South West Peninsula League champions Buckland Athletic 5-2 at Bickland Park.

A hat-trick from Matt Drummond helped them on their way to victory, along with impressive displays from midfielders Mark Vercesi, Dan Magee and Dan Green.

The home side led 2-0 at the break and despite goals from Buckland’s player-manager Anthony Lynch and Liam Moseley, in the second half, the 5-2 scoreline flattered the visitors as Town dominated the match.

Both sides made a cagey start to the game, with Town enjoying the better territory, but getting caught on the counter on numerous occasions as the lively Simon Revell caused problems down the left side of the pitch.

It was slightly against the run of play when Falmouth took the lead. Ross Pope played the ball into Vercesi and the former Truro City player hit an excellent ball over the top of the Buckland defence for Drummond to run onto and roll a shot past the advancing Kenny Griffiths.

The goal lifted Town and five minutes later they doubled their lead as Green provided and inch perfect cross for Drummond to send a header past Griffiths at the far post.

Buckland pushed forward in search of a way back into the match. Gary Fisher ran on to Revell’s pass, but Town keeper Jason Chapman was quick to react to the threat and blocked the ball at the striker’s feet.

Just before the interval, Magee played a smart pass to Darren Hicks who tried a shot from close in, but a defender managed to put him off balance and the ball flew over the bar.

Buckland players were sent out early for the second half with Lynch bringing on Moseley to help swing the match back in their favour.

However, it was Town who started the half brighter, with Karl Turner seeing his goalbound shot blocked by a defender on the line.

Falmouth deservedly made it 3-0 on 50 minutes as Hicks struck a fierce free-kick that Griffiths could only parry away from his bottom corner. Turner raced to pick up the loose ball and sent a cross back into the danger area, where an unmarked Drummond nodded the ball into the net for his hat-trick.

At this stage Buckland players’ head dropped and Town went in search of a fourth goal. Drummond fired a couple of efforts narrowly wide of Griffiths posts before the Buckland keeper was forced to turn a Hicks shot around the post.

Buckland’s first shot in anger during the second half came in the 63rd minute, but it was a weak effort from Fisher that Chapman gathered with ease.

However, the visitors found a way back into the match on 71 minutes as Moseley twice brought great point-blank saves out of Chapman before slamming his third attempt past him from six yards out.

Falmouth responded excellently though and slammed the door shut on Buckland’s route back into the match.

Turner and Hicks combined well down the left to cross the ball into the centre where Shane White rose highest to head the ball in off the post.

Falmouth got their fifth goal seven minutes from time when the tireless Hicks sent over a high looping ball from the right hand side of the area. Turner was on hand to prod the ball over the line from close in.

Buckland did get a late consolation goal when White was adjudged to have handled the ball in a goalmouth scramble. Lynch successfully converted the resulting penalty, but it brought little celebration from the Buckland players as they new they had been comprehensively beaten by an in-form Falmouth side.

Falmouth: Jason Chapman, Steve Winnan (Mark Hollands 77), Jamie Devine, Shane White, Lee Rundle, Ross Pope, Dan Magee (Karl Turner 47), Dan Green, Darren Hicks, Matt Drummond, Mark Vercesi. Subs: Tom Barwell, Joe Lugg, Karl Turner, Mark Hollands, Marc Rose.