Liskeard Athletic 3, Helston Athletic 5 (after extra time)
Helston Athletic will meet Newquay in the semi-finals of the Westinsure Cornwall Senior Cup after beating Liskeard Athletic after extra time in an incident-filled clash at Lux Park, writes Lee Hall.
Premier division Liskeard ended the game with ten men, while Helston manager Sid Taylor and Ash Stidwell were red carded by referee Paul Forse, who it has to be said did not have the best of games.
Liskeard, who clinched their place in the quarter-finals following a 2-1 victory over St Blazey in midweek, took a third minute lead through Robbie Almond.
But it was Helston who went on to dominate the first half and they led at the break thanks to goals from Liam Eddy (41) and Mark Goldsworthy (43).
Almond brought Liskeard back into it when he curled the ball into the top corner in the 59th minute.
But with 68 minutes on the clock the Blues were reduced to ten men when skipper Lee Blatchford was sent off for a rash challenge on Mark Goldsworthy, who wasn't able to play any further part in the game as a result.
With no further goals the game went into extra time, and it was Helston who regained the lead when Eddy smashed the ball in off the bar in the 95th minute.
But it was Forse's decision to award a Liskeard penalty that led to farcical scenes. Following the intervention of his assistant, Forse pointed to the spot after Helston defender Kirk Davies clashed with Liskeard's Tom Hall. Almond made no mistake to claim his hat-trick (105+1).
It was a decision that angered Taylor and the rest of the Helston bench.
Stidwell, who was earlier substituted, was red carded for comments made to the referee and Taylor soon followed after venting his anger towards the Saltash official. By the end of the first half of extra time eight minutes of injury time had been played.
And it was with virtually the last kick of the half that Helston led 4-3 when Ben Stidwell fired in from close range.
And Eddy made sure of victory with Helston's fifth goal in the 123rd minute.
Helston will now play Newquay, who won 4-3 at St Dennis, in the semi-final at Truro City's Treyew Road on March 5.
Liskeard: B Shields, A Martin, C Brinacombe, D Duthie (B Washman 101), P Bromhead, M Lindsay, D Ahearn, L Blatchford, T Hall, M Hawes, R Almond. Subs (not used): S Coniam, M Thorp, D O'Brien.
Helston: J Robertson, C Strike (M Fox 95), A Stidwell (A Collick 64), K Davies, B Stidwell, C Young, T Russell, J Adlard, J Thirkle, L Eddy, M Goldsworthy (D Stidwell 69). Subs (not used): M Webster, H Howlett, J Thomson.
In the other semi-final, holders Bodmin, who won 3-0 at Dobwalls, will meet Penryn Ath, who had a shock 2-1 victory at Torpoint Ath, at Wadebridge on Wednesday March 6.
