FALMOUTH TOWN  1

Richardson 54

LAUNCESTON  2

Blake 17,28

Falmouth Town slumped to a 2-1 home defeat against high-flying Launceston at Bickland Park on Saturday.

But the scoreline only tells part of the story, after a sterling second half performance from Town saw third placed Launceston forced into holding the ball up in the corners with five minutes left on the clock.

Launceston captain Richard Blake opened the scoring after 17 minutes when he was left unmarked at the back post to head in Chris Head's corner.

And Blake made it two from another corner barely ten minutes later, arriving late in the box to power a bullet header past a helpless Jason Chapman.

Town were second best throughout the first half as Launceston took a stranglehold on the game, pressuring the home side into giving up the ball easily, and peppering Jason Chapman's goal with shots.

But Falmouth came out after the break with a renewed sense of purpose, and whatever managers Robbie Stephens and Les Gilbert had to say to their players at half time seemed to have worked.

Town forced Launceston into some desperate defending, and were eventually rewarded for their efforts in the 57th minute when new signing Pat Shaughnessy muscled past his marker to deliver a ball into the box which Dan Richardson stabbed home from close range.

After that it was all Falmouth as the home side started to stroke the ball around with real confidence.

But hampered by an over-enthusiastic linesman's flag and the heavy playing surface, their only real opportunity fell to Glenn Squires who saw his scuffed shot easily saved by Launceston keeper Dan Stephenson.

And despite putting Launceston under severe pressure as the clock ran down, Leigh Cooper's side hung on for the win.

Falmouth: J Chapman, S Winnan, R Kellow (J Greet 79), L Jeffries, J Webb, S Floyd-Norris (T Dunstan 79), D Richardson, R Pope, G Squires, P Shaughnessy (L Cope 81), T Whipp. Sub (not used): D Friend

Launceston: D Stephenson, S Scott, M Burke, A Crabb, M Reckless, R Blake, C Head (P Chowen 70), L Tilley, D Pethick (B Anniss 63), D Parke, S Davey (L Easton 85)