HAVING spent the last eight games sat on the bench Truro City Reserves’ Tom Ball scored a hat-trick to put his side into the Cornwall Senior Cup quarter-finals in a closely contested match against Illogan.

The Jolly's Combination League side will have felt unfortunate to have lost this game against City from the Peninsula League Division One (west) as they matched their higher league opponents for the majority of the match and but for some poor finishing infront of goal it might have been different.

However, City were quick out of the traps and made their intentions clear when after only 90 seconds on the clock a ball into the box was only cleared as far as Ball who fired in a volley from 12 yards out.

Illogan, who lie third in the Combination League table, almost equalised twice shortly after.

The first opportunity fell to Adam Callaway who headed a Gary Sturmy cross just over the City bar and then Ryan Treloar fired in a free-kick which both goalkeeper and a defender on the line eventually managed to clear away.

Craig Williams then fired another effort at goal but they found the City goalkeeper Jason Peters in superb form.

After the break Illogan's Callaway had another glorious chance to bring his side level when he found himself with a free header from a Treloar cross but his effort went over.

Then Truro made Illogan pay for their missed chances when Sam Cooper raced into the area. He went down under a challenge, allowing Ball to get his second from the spot.

The home side's luck was further compelled when midway through the half Simon Ellis went down in the City box only for the referee to wave away the claims. Callaway then went close again to pulling Illogan back into the game put his shot skimmed off the post on 70 minutes. The game was finished off by Truro's third goal eight minutes from time.

A ball over the top of the Illogan defence forced Sean Carter off his line but as he came to collect his missed allowing Tom Ball to grab his third of the game.

With two minutes to go Illogan did get a consolation goal when Jason Roberts played a ball forward which Peters came to collect.

However, he fumbled the ball under a challenge from Mark Pope, and despite appeals for a free-kick, the ball was placed into the empty net.

After the match manager Robin Watt, praised his side’s battling display admitting they could go far in the competition.

“In the quarter final now so it just a case of taking it game by game. There is no side we really want to avoid but the local teams are always difficult to beat,” he said “We were good on Saturday. Sometimes you can’t rely on just playing football to win games you have to show heart and character to chisel out a result and I think we did that, it was a real team performance.”

The draw for the quarter-finals of the Westinsure Cornwall Senior Cup will be made tomorrow evening. Log onto the Packet.co.uk to see who City Reserves are drawn against.

Truro City’s first team game away at Paulton in the BGB Southern Division One South and West was called off on Saturday due to a waterlogged pitch.