FANS were given an extra Christmas treat at Gala Parc on Boxing Day as Porthleven and Helston Athletic battled for the Mayors Cup.

In an end-to-end match which featured seven goals, a disallowed goal and a missed penalty, it was the Blues who left the field with the trophy and local bragging rights with a 5-2 victory.

Even though at first reading the score may incur a different inflection, the win for Athletic was only secured late on with two goals in the last few minutes from Mark Goldsworthy and Hugh Howlett.

Despite the awful wet weather which had battered down across Cornwall over the festive period, the pitch looked immaculate and provided a good surface for the players.

It took just five minutes for Helston to break the deadlock when Goldsworthy made a run down the right flank before squaring the ball to former Port man Jamie Thirkle, who beat the offside trap to put the ball into the net.

Andrew Westgarth should have made it 2-0 not long afterwards but good work by the Fishermen’s goalkeeper Benji Bryant did enough to put him off.

The striker still had an empty goal to aim at, but missed.

This looked to be a potentially crucial mistake when in the 18th minute Jordan Annear banged in an equaliser for the hosts after a superb ball by Liam Hunter found him.

Bryant was called into action again when he brilliantly came out on top of a one-on-one situation with Goldsworthy to prevent a goal.

Matt Best, who had come on for the injured Jed McCardie, also came close to scoring for Port when he sent a shot crashing off the bar.

But on the stroke of half time, it would be Athletic who went back in front when Goldsworthy’s cross from the right found Westgarth and the forward keen to make up for not scoring earlier made amends with his header.

Not long after the break, Thirkle thought he had doubled his tally for the day when he put the ball in the net, only to discover the linesman who put his flag up for offside.

Annear then equalised again for the home team when he latched onto a ball through the middle from his elder brother Tom to fire past Jason Robertson with 25 minutes remaining.

However, another former Fisherman would put his former side behind again in the 70th minute when Tom Russell blasted a shot from 25 yards out past Bryant.

Proceedings seemed to be all over with ten minutes left when Goldsworthy was bundled down in the box by Dan Tarrant with a penalty awarded to Helston.

But a lifeline was thrown to Port when Bryant guessed correctly and saved the spot-kick from Goldsworthy, who opted to shoot to his left.

Both sides kept looking for goals but the sucker punch was delivered with a minute of normal time remaining when James Miller played through Goldsworthy who slotted an effort home.

Port did not give up and 60 seconds later, Kyle Frazer went close for them but saw his shot well saved by Robertson.

Then in the final play of the game, a corner for Athletic found Howlett in the middle of penalty area and the central defender thumped a header home.

PORTHLEVEN: Bryant, Wormington, Tarrant, D Greet, Coleman (Thomas 60), Hunter, Frazer, McCardie (Best 35), T Annear (c), J Annear, Williams.

UNUSED SUBS: Turner, Jorey.

HELSTON: Robertson, Santos (B Stidwell 46), Howlett, K Davies, A Stidwell, Thirkle (Miller 65), Thomson (c), Adlard (D Stidwell 62), Ruseell, Goldsworthy, Westgarth.

UNUSED SUBS: Shainberg, M Davies.