FALMOUTH TOWN 4

MULLION 1

MULLION left Bickland Park empty-handed following a 4-1 defeat by Falmouth Town in the Jolly's Combination League, but according to assistant manager Steve Gilks the result did Mullion little justice.

"The first half was a great performance by us," said Gilks. "We played our best football of the season and Falmouth were never in the game.

"On a rock-hard surface we played some terrific one-touch football and we were so unlucky that we didn't have two or three goals to our name.

"But I suppose it is typical of a club such as us and the position that we are in that when we make a mistake it is punished and changes the game.

"But we are at last beginning to play to a pattern and the football we are playing is very encouraging. I was very pleased overall apart from the scoreline which was so unjust."

Mullion made all the running in the opening stages with Matt Fox, who posed problems all afternoon for the Town defence, just missing out when a dazzling run that ended with a shot into the side netting.

Mullion were vibrant in attack and in another superb move Gareth Harris skimmed the bar with a great header.

The visitors had an early chance in the second half when the goalkeeper hit the ball straight at Fox, but his lob straight back over his head missed the post by inches.

Five minutes later Town opened the scoring when Bobby Bryant seized on a poor goalkick to head the ball back over the Mullion defence for Nathan McIntosh to give Wayne Briggs no chance with his finish.

Ten minutes later clever play by Bryant in the corner of the box saw him beat a defender and cross for Luke Appleton to flick the ball into the corner of the net for a good finish.

An injury to McIntosh brought on manager Phil Shapcott, but it was Mullion who grabbed a crucial first goal when Fox was brought down in the box by Ross Bowden. Jason Robertson took the spotkick and made no mistake.

The goal sparked Mullion's best spell in the game as Town were put under pressure, but they were unable to turn pressure into goals.

Town snapped up a third goal ten minutes from time when Bryant ran on to Darren Friend's through ball and held off a defender before slipping the ball into the corner of the net to score.

Town completed a flattering victory with a fourth goal. Shapcott had an effort saved, but from the corner Shapcott stabbed the ball home.

Mullion: W Briggs, D Cheetham, M Peters, M Buchanan, B Tremaine, M Fox, G Harris, J Robertson, C Lawrence, A Ashton, B Stidwell. Subs: L Chapman, J Legg, K Hansen.