St Austell 4, St Blazey 0
ST AUSTELL claimed local bragging rights as four first half goals shook derby rivals St Blazey at Poltair Park on Wednesday night.
It was a night to forget for Bobby Oaten's Blazey, though the visitors produced a spirited second half performance to save them from a much heavier defeat.
Indeed, the game may well have told a different story had St Blazey midfielder George Swain converted a first half penalty, which would have cancelled out Danny Carne's 10th minute strike.
Carne side-footed home after St Blazey goalkeeper Dave Painter could only parry Mike Body's cross into the path of the midfielder.
But the Green and Blacks were presented with a glorious opportunity to level when St Austell defender Tom Smith handled in the box. But Swain sent his spot kick high over the bar in the 21st minute.
It was a miss that would prove costly in the opening 45 minutes as the Lillywhites scored three goals in four minutes to go 4-0 up at the break.
First, Body swept home Carne's cross from close range on the half hour, and straight from the restart Will Tinsley scored St Austell's third when he crashed an effort in off the underside of the bar.
And with 34 minutes on the clock Smith made up for his earlier misdemeanour when he lashed the ball home from the edge of the box.
Oaten was less than impressed and at half-time he rounded up his players to give them their team talk out on the pitch.
And it seemed to do the trick as St Blazey restored some pride with a much better account of themselves after the break.
However, it was to prove too little, too late for Oaten's men as St Austell saw out the game to maintain their hopes of a top four finish in the SWPL Premier Division.
St Austell: J Peters, D Lean, M Giles, T Smith, L Whetter, J Dingle (D Nancarrow 71), C Reski, J Isbell (N Campbell 62), W Tinsley, M Body, D Carne (Flatley 84). Sub (not used): Stubbs.
St Blazey: D Painter, D Bennett, D Barker, A Bance, J Smith (J King 70), D Evans, L Edwards, G Swain, L Coombes, S Broomfield, L Brown (P West 46).