Wendron United 1 - Helston Athletic 4

Wendron United opened and closed their 2024/25 Cornwall Senior Cup campaign in one evening after a 4-1 defeat to Southern League side Helston Athletic, writes Josh McDonald. 

It was going to be a tough task for the home side in any circumstances and Helston made sure their cup campaign got off to a flying start with a full strength side at Underlane.

Helston took the early exchanges of the game, high pressing the home side and dominating the early phases. This pressure was made to tell in the seventh minutes when a deep cross from the right found on-loan Plymouth Parkway striker Jack Crago at the far post who executed a deft chip over Telling to open the scoring.

Further chances for Thomson, Crago and Copp came shortly after, however it was Wendron who should have levelled the tie, when Josh Wood’s cross was met by an unmarked Ryan Reeve eight yards out, only to see his header fly over Moore’s bar.

A further chance, well worked by Muller to Kemp, saw the latter's right-foot strike well saved by Moore.

Helston regained their composure and started to turn the screw on the home side, and on 36 minutes got their second, when a speculative cross from the right was met by Crago’s head two yards out.

A period of balance then came, although the threat of a third from the visitors was constant and just before half-time, Smith found himself central only to see his lofted shot cleared off the line by Max Roberts.

The pressure finally did tell in the 45th minute and Crago completed his hattrick when Fisher was caught under a long-ball, which was brought down by the striker who cut inside and struck a powerful shot past Telling.

Going into half time it was Wendron United nil, Helston Athletic three. 

With the game beginning to run away from Wendron a fast start to the second half was needed if anything was going to be recovered. And a fast start they had, with Kemp laying the ball to Reeve, who struck a deflected shot from 20 yards which looped over a stranded Moore 40 seconds in.

Wendron did start to make it appear that we could have an exciting tie in store if they could muster a second goal, however the hopes were dashed on 66 minutes when Colwell seized a loose ball and whipped a cross in for Crago to stoop and head in for his fourth of the night.

Changes rang out for both sides with 20 minutes to play plus injury, with genuine goalscoring opportunities becoming hard to come by for both sides.

The deficit had potential to be cut when strong penalty appeals for handball were turned away by referee Rob Fleetham, after a Joe Chapman freekick appeared to strike and outstretched arm in the wall.

Helston managed the game professionally in the final minutes and saw out the result comfortably in the closing stages, despite long range efforts from Smith for Helston and Tresidder for Wendron trying to change the tallies.

Full time: Wendron United 1- Helston Athletic 4

Team – Telling, Fisher (Watson 74), Roberts, May, Carroll, Wood (Plummer 74), Chapman, Taylor, Muller, Reeve (Tresidder 74), Kemp

Goal – Reeve

POTM - Max Roberts