HALLEN 3

M Reynolds (3, 1 pen)

FALMOUTH TOWN 0

Hallen: Steve Scannel, Lee Patch (Grantley Dicks 75m), Mark Branton, Danny Hunt (capt), Richard Nelmes, Andy Dalton, Andy Cook, Andy Proctor (Scott Morrison 40m), Mark Reynolds, Matt Fisher (Paul Griffiths 66m), Jack Harris. Sub not used: Matt Davies.

Town: Nathan Murphy,Jamie Morrison-Hill ,Fergus Nevin (Darren Burchell 62m),Aaron harper-Penman (capt), Brinton Nute, Aaron Cusack (Rob Francis 89m), Lee Beer, Matt Godfree (Ben Goldring 89m), Kain Bond, Andy Bowker, Matt Cusack. Sub not used: Steve Sims.

Referee: Damon McEllin (Bristol).

Assistants: D. Ricketts and P. Roberts (both Portishead).

FALMOUTH Town's FA Vase dreams were left in tatters on Saturday after this 3-0 humbling at Toolstation Western League Premier Division side Hallen.

The ironic thing is that Town were the better side overall in the tie. They dominated play and had more possession, but clinical finishing in front of goal won the game for the home side.

Town were without Glen Squires who reported sick on the morning of the game and Neil Bettis was injured following his knock at Clyst the week before, but Darren Burchell was back, leaving Falmouth with at least four subs.

The home side were managed by former Bath City goalkeeper David Mogg, who played against Town in the FA Cup in the 1992/93 season and another member of their team that day was Grantley Dicks (brother of former West Ham defender Julian) and he was named as a substitute.

Hallen started brightly and after only five minutes launched their first attack on goal as Jack Harris was denied by a superb flying save from Nathan Murphy in the Town goal. Within three minutes, Murphy had again denied Harris but this time it was a comfortable low save.

The home side took the lead in the ninth minute. Lee Beer was penalised for a foul mid-way in the Town half and the free kick into the box ended with Bristol referee Damon McEllin finding sufficient evidence of apparent shirt-pulling by Matt Godfree to award what was a dubious penalty. Mark Reynolds stepped up and confidently sent Murphy the wrong way.

Town tried to get back into the game and four minutes later, after winning a corner, Aaron Cusack went close with a strike from distance.

After a spell of play in midfield and both teams creating half chances, Town were the team who came closest to scoring when Kain Bond was denied by a good save from Steve Scannell who had a fine game in the home goal.

Five minutes later though Hallen scored a second. With a long ball over the top and a Town defence virtually static gave Reynolds all the time and space he needed to beat Murphy with a low shot.

In the 38th minute Godfree's name was taken for dissent and two minutes later Matt Cusack saw his shot saved by Scannell.

Following a knock, Hallen were forced to make a change when Scott Morrison replaced Andy Proctor.

The second half started with Town adopting a more positive attitude and the home side rarely ventured forward.

In the 63rd minute Darren Burchell was introduced in place of Fergus Nevin.

The game was over as a contest within a minute when Reynolds completed his hat trick. Murphy made a good save in the build-up but predator Reynolds was on hand to score from close range to notch his 16th goal of the season.

The referee waved his yellow card with no player around, but it turned out to be Town's Lee Beer who apparently was booked for dissent.

Hallen made a change with Paul Griffiths taking the place of Matt Fisher.

It wasn't going to be Town's day when from a corner from the right, Bond's shot looped up in the air but Scannell managed to catch it on the line.

Moments later the best chance of the game for the visitors resulted with Bowker's shot hitting a defender and then from close range smashed the ball against the underside of the bar before being cleared.

Having been injured four minutes earlier, Lee Patch was replaced in the 75th minute by Grantley Dicks, who played at Bickland some 15 years earlier and gave Ian Gosling a hard game. Now aged 40, he still managed to do what was needed.

Substitute Griffiths was denied by another good Murphy save in the 87th minute before a follow up shot was cleared off the line.

In the 89th minute Ben Goldring and Rob Francis replaced Godfree and Aaron Cusack and despite 11 minutes of stoppage time, Town couldn't grab the consolation goal their play, possession and effort deserved, and a trip to Wellington in the next round went to Hallen.

On Saturday Town are away to Mousehole in the first round of the South West Peninula League's Throgmorton League Cup.