By Kevin Marriott

WESTERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (SATURDAY)

Barnstaple Town 4 St Austell 2

LIAM Eddy scored twice but it wasn’t enough to prevent another defeat for St Austell at Mill Road.

The Lillywhites, who again played well for large spells, have now lost five of their last six games – conceding 15 goals – and they would bite your hand off for a clean sheet right now.

St Austell boss Chris Knight said: “I was really happy with 99% of the game and the scoreline doesn’t reflect it as at 3-2 down we obviously pushed everyone on to try to equalise and they scored on the break with five seconds to go.

“We pushed them all the way and at 2-2 we looked the more likely to win it, but in Gabby Rogers they have a very special player and he came up with some magic to break our hearts really, fair play to him.

“Unfortunately we need to score three goals to win a game of football at the moment and that isn’t any good for anyone.

“I really can’t ask any more of the players for effort but we have to stop gifting goals or it’s just Groundhog Day every week I’m afraid.”

A perfect start, courtesy of Eddy’s third minute opener, should have set them up nicely for some points on the road.

But they trailed 2-1 by half-time thanks to Brodie Montague (29 minutes) and an own goal (42).

Eddy brought them back level on the hour but 10 minutes later Gabby Rogers restored Barum’s lead before Ryan Keates ended St Austell’s hopes.

St Blazey 1 Wellington 3

ST BLAZEY conceded two late Phil Mendonca goals to crash to an unlikely defeat.

The Green & Blacks were leading through a Ryan Downing goal three minutes before half-time and had two chances to double their lead around the hour mark.

But the sending off of Downing in the 61st minute was a blow to Blazey, before Jake Quick equalised 15 minutes from time.

Blazey continued to push for a winner but they were caught out two minutes from time with a Mendonca goal and before they had time to recover, the substitute made it 3-1.

Joint manager Brad Richardson said: “Yesterday’s game was such a disappointment to lose, especially when for large part of the game they never looked like troubling us.

“It’s been a struggle with three out of the back four out and no first choice goalkeeper for four games, we have looked disjointed.

“For large parts our shape was better and we looked solid and more in control.

“The sending off was a huge turning point. I’ve been critical of referees in the last couple of weeks but this one I feel he got right.

“But even with 10 men I felt we still looked like we were the only side going to win the game.

“We had a great chance with a header that if he put it either side of the keeper it’s game over. Then we conceded a really soft goal from a corner with about 15 to play out of nowhere, but we still looked dangerous on the counter.

“What is inexcusable is the way we conceded in the 89th minute, it’s just poor defending, it’s not good enough – then the one straight after is the same.”

Elsewhere in the division, Torpoint Athletic shocked second-placed Street 3-1 thanks to goals from Luke Cloke (2) and the returning Elliott Crawford, while up at Nailsea and Tickenham, a patched up Saltash United won 2-1 thanks to first half goals from Deacon Thomson and Jake Curtis, the latter sent off after 32 minutes.