Bodmin Town 2, Downton 0
Bodmin Town will be flying the flag for Cornwall into the last 32 of the FA Carlsberg Vase in the new year after an impressive victory over Wessex League leaders Downton at Priory Park.
Excellent goals from Glynn Hobbs (24 minutes) and Neil Slateford (69) settled an entertaining third round tie in the Carlsberg South West Peninsula League leaders' favour.
They pocketed £1,500 in prize money and will appear in Monday's draw for the fourth round, which goes national.
Bodmin were good value for their win, which could have been more emphatic because of a superb second half display after an evenly-balanced first half.
Hobbs, who was fortunate to stay on the field after an 11th minute lunge on Joey Dorrington which brought a yellow rather than red card, then showed the good side of his game with a stunning free kick to break the deadlock.
Steve Colwell's driving run through the middle of the Downton defence was brought to an abrupt end when he was tripped but from the resulting free kick 25 yards out, Hobbs curled a right foot shot around the wall and into the net.
There was nothing to choose between the sides as the half-time whistle went, but as often happens with Bodmin, the 15-minute break did them a world of good.
Right from the start of the second half they drove forward with menace and a sustained period of pressure brought them a 50th minute penalty when Chris Luxton was tripped by Matt Scott.
But Luxton's spot kick was hit weakly and Downton goalkeeper Charlie Aldridge dived to his right to make a comfortable save.
Luxton almost made amends five minutes later when Aldridge spilled a Lee Doel shot into his path. Luxton rolled the ball towards an unguarded net but Aldridge recovered well to grab it.
Bodmin's need for a second goal was underlined in the 64th minute when Downton centre half Ben Smith stole in at the far post with an excellent chance to equalise but Tom Chambers and Luke Rundle threw themselves in front of him to block his shot.
Downton were enjoying their best spell of the second half but they were over-committed when a 69th minute corner was cleared and Olly Brokenshire took possession well inside his own half.
He drove forward 50 yards before laying the ball off to Luxton on the left. He quickly returned it back inside to the advancing Slateford and, after side-stepping a defender, he smashed a superb shot past Aldridge from 20 yards to make it 2-0.
Far from sitting on their lead, Bodmin poured forward and they had Downton on the ropes, with Sam Matthews heading over a sublime Brokenshire free kick and Hobbs driving a fierce shot a yard wide.
And it took a save out of the top drawer from Aldridge to deny Luxton in the 78th minute as he glanced another Brokenshire free kick towards the corner of the net before seeing the Downton keeper at full stretch tipping the ball around the post.
Aldridge also kept out an 86th minute shot from Luxton with a save low at his right hand post as Bodmin finished with a flourish.
Bodmin: Miller, Doel, Rundle, Chambers, Simmonds, Brokenshire, Colwell, Slateford, Hobbs, Luxton, Matthews. Subs: Carter, Hodge, Morgan, Swiggs, Gilbert.
Downton: Aldridge, Scott, Mundy, Thomas, Smith, Finnigan, Joey Dorrington, Rusher, McGregor, ******, Waters. Subs: Coker, Brooks, Gurd, James Dorrington.
Referee: Mark Underwood.
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Bodmin Town to carry Cornish flag into last 32 of FA Vase
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