It was heartbreak for Helston Athletic who lost their first-ever Isuzu FA Trophy game against Melksham Town on penalties.

The match at Kellaway Park ended 1-1 after extra time, with the away side edging spot kicks by 3-2.

Both teams were evenly matched throughout the game, with neither team managing to score in the first half - despite a handful of close calls.

The first real chance at goal came in the 33rd minute, when Reece Thomson diverted his shot the wrong side of the post.

As the match progressed, Helston began to create more chances, with Melksham’s goalkeeper making a string of impressive saves to keep the game goalless.

Town had a chance when a free header was guided wide, before a minute later the visiting goalkeeper made a fine block to deny Helston.

In the second half the biggest chance of the game went to Thomson again, who capitalised on a defence mix up only to be thwarted by the Melksham keeper.

A Jordan Copp free kick almost led to a chance but the shot flashed across the mouth of the goal, with Helston goalkeeper Kyle Moore then keeping his side in the match with a strong save in the 67th minute.

It took until the dying minutes for the deadlock to finally be broken - and the floodgates opened.

Melksham broke the deadlock in the 90th minute, only for Helston’s Jack Crago to equalise with a powerful header in the second minute of stoppage time, sending the game into penalties.

Unfortunately for Helston, their penalty takers struggled to find the back of the net, while Melksham’s players held their nerve, securing their place in the next round.

A spokesperson for Helston Athletic said after the match: “Good luck to our visitors in the next round.”

In contrast, it was a more positive outcome for Helston Athletic’s Under-18s team, who secured a convincing 4-0 victory over Falmouth Town under the guidance of their newly appointed manager, Luke Tripconey.

The match, played on Monday evening, saw Helston dominate the first half but fail to convert their chances due to strong defending and goalkeepeing from Falmouth.

However, Helston broke the deadlock 12 minutes into the second half with a goal from Charlie Simms.

Following a series of substitutions, Helston doubled their lead with a shot on target from Josh Daniels.

Further goals from Toby Griggs and Olly Redd sealed a well-deserved win for Helston Athletic.

As the Under-18s celebrate their victory, the senior team will be looking to bounce back from their narrow defeat in the FA Trophy, determined to learn from their experience and come back stronger in future matches.