ST IVES TOWN 0 ILLOGAN 2

AFTER some disappointing results Illogan reawakened their Jolly's Combination League title hopes with a much-needed win away to St Ives Town.

However, their challenge for the championship has not been helped by what the club sees as irrational fixture making and one of their players walking out on them before the crucial match with St Ives.

Striker Andy Cowper, informed he was on the bench, told the club that he was not going to sit on the bench and was no longer available for the remainder of the season and left the ground before kick off.

The club is also at odds with the league for scheduling what could well be the deciding match in the championship with a midweek away fixture against Mousehole.

A club spokesman said: "Mousehole have no game on two successive Saturdays, yet we are being asked to travel 28 miles with a 6.15 pm kick off for one of the most important games of the season.

"Why the league could not have rearranged this fixture is beyond us. We asked them in good time, but they would not change their minds.

"We will probably have to field a below-strength side for a game that is so important to us. We will have finished all our games by April 21, so we are at a loss to understand why commonsense cannot come into play in this matter. Why do we have to play such an important game in midweek when there is six weeks of the season remaining?"

At St Ives the real winner was the surface that played havoc with the players who struggled to come to terms with it.

The young home side competed well, but they fell a goal behind in the 21st minute when Gary Sturmey was brought down in the box. Gareth Pitt scored from the penalty spot to put Illogan in front.

Illogan began to lose their way and allow Town to get back into the match, but a minute before the break Rodney Gregory ran on to Darren Holsey's ball over the top and outpaced a defender before lashing a great shot past the goalkeeper from just outside the box.

The second half was an anti-climax as the sides again struggled to come to terms with the surface.

Pitt had a couple of opportunities with a volley that went over the bar and a chip shot that ended up in the goalkeeper's hands.

Nine minutes from time Town had a great chance to pull a goal back when went around Danny Burrows, but as the ball sped goalwards Tom Hogarth did exceptionally well to get back and clear the ball off the line.

Illogan: D Burrows, A Clarke, D Holsey, T Hogarth, G Sturmey, R Bray, N Medlin, J Kemp, R Treloar, R Gregory. Subs: B Widdershoven, S Peters.