FALMOUTH TOWN 1

ST JUST 1

(St Just won 5-4 on pens)

HISTORY was in the making at Gala Parc on Easter Sunday when St Just won the first-ever Jolly's Combination League Cup Final to be played to a finish on the day.

Full time and extra time was not enough to separate St Just and Falmouth Town and eventually it came down to just one save made by goalkeeper Andy Angove that was the difference between defeat and victory.

With replays in the final consigned to history, Falmouth Town will be wondering how on earth it came to the game being decided on penalties after they dominated extra time and would have been worthy winners.

This was a game where commitment was more in evidence than skill in the blusery conditions and after taking the lead the tie was there for the taking for St Just, but in the second half Town showed far more tactical awareness and played with three up front.

St Just were never able to combat the change and the game began to tilt towards Town as they began to take charge. In extra time there was only one winner, but with St Just defending desperately Town just couldn't apply the finishing touch and eventually The Tinners survived several scrapes to go on and lift the cup.

St Just suffered a first minute scare when the normally reliable Andy Angove spilled a free kick, but he quickly regained possession as danger threatened.

There was another chance for Town shortly afterwards when Bryn Wheeler was put through, but his lob proved ineffective as Angove easily gathered.

Darren Friend rattled a post in the 23rd minute as Town maintained their bright start, but St Just always looked dangerous on the break with Jowan May and Shane Richards looking for a quick ball.

Three minutes after Town hit the post St Just struck with a goal out of the blue when a ball was played wide to May. He got round Simon Anderson and shot from an acute angle which Ryan Brokenshire managed to scoop out, but Shane Richards pounced to win the battle for the loose ball and head into the net.

Minutes later Richards burst into the box and skipped past Steve Retchford, but he screwed his shot wide of the target.

Town constantly wasted good possession with long, hopeful balls down the throat of the St Just defence, but St Just although enjoying the lions's share of possession failed to capitalise on their opportunities with John McCullum shooting wide when well placed and Toby Clarke rescuing Town after a poor goalkick gave May a gilt-edged chance.

Town's change of tactics at half-time was about to shift the power of balance towards them as they began to dictate the pattern of the game.

Bobby Bryant looked dangerous and Robbie Warner's good run and pass to the far post was thumped over the bar by Chris Morris.

As the half wore on so Town made yet more adventurous changes with attacking players replacing defenders.

Andy Westgarth headed a free kick back across the face of goal for Wheeler to volley just the wrong side of the angle of post and upright, but after 66 minutes Town were back on level terms when Winnan found Bryant who went past his marker and fired in a cross shot that went in off the upright.

Town won a corner, but when St Just cleared Richards went on a tremendous solo run that left defenders in his wake, but his raking shot was well saved by Brokenshire.

The match, inevitably, went into extra time and if ever there was omen that it was not going to be your day, it came six minutes into the first period. Retchford knocked in a free kick that Clark met with force, but his header hit Andy Angove on the legs with the 'keeper knowing little about it.

The second period of extra time belonged to Town as they had St Just on the rack, but they just couldn't find the decisive goal.

Bryant shot wide after good work by Westgarth and then a superb cross by Retchford fell to Wheeler at the far post who hit the sidenetting from close range.

St Just's defence opened up for Westgarth to break through and although his lob began to drift just wide of the goal Wheeler got his foot to the ball but only succeeded in knocking it against the post.

In the dying seconds Westgarth ran on to Kevin Morris's pass and found Wheeler who worked his way across the box, but his shot was tipped over the bar with a superb save from Angove.

And so it came down to penalties. Angove was always likely to save one spotkick and so it proved as Winnan's kick was pounced upon leaving John McCullam with the fifth spotkick which he converted to give a very leg-weary St Just the cup.

Town: R Brokenshire, S Anderson, C Earl, T Clark, S Retchford, D Friend, C Morris, S Winnan, R Warner, B Wheeler, B Bryant. Subs: A Westgarth, K Morris, W Herrington.

St Just: A Angove, A Johnson, J McCallum, J Payne, A Trenoweth, M Harris, L Norman, G Edmunds, J May, N Curnow, S Richards. Subs: M Witts, B Way, M Thomas.