By Kevin Marriott

WESTERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (WEDNESDAY)

St Austell 3 Buckland Athletic 3

LIAM Eddy turned back the clock at Poltair on Wednesday night with an individual contribution which led to two goals and an assist in a six-goal thriller with Buckland Athletic.

The experienced striker, who couldn’t get in the starting line-up until recently, caused the visitors’ defence all sorts of problems with a performance out of the top drawer.

Three times St Austell were ahead and three times Dan Hart’s side equalised in a match which gave the crowd of 182 plenty of entertainment.

Lillywhites boss Chris Knight said: “I would probably have bitten your hand off for a point before the game, but having led three times and the way the game went, we are gutted not to have taken all three.

“Credit to Buckland and of course their manager who we know well, they never lie down and fair play to them, they found a way.

“I couldn’t be happier with how we played though and a real step forward for us in many areas.”

And of two-goal Eddy, he said: “Credit to Liam; it was like someone had put him in a time machine and took him back to the FA Vase season last night.

“He was like his old self and when he’s like that there is nobody better.”

Henry Wilson should have opened the scoring for the Cornishmen in the 22nd minute when he was presented with a free header six yards out, but planted it straight at Buckland keeper Adam Seedhouse-Evans.

To the obvious annoyance of manager Hart on the sidelines, the visitors couldn’t get a grip on the game and their passing out from defence left a lot to be desired.

St Austell took advantage by sweeping ahead in the 40th minute and much of the credit went to George Marris, who burst along the left from the halfway line, sidestepped several defenders and got into the penalty area. As he attempted to tee up a shot, his effort was blocked but the ball broke kindly for Eddy, who showed no hesitation in smashing a low shot into the net.

The home side merited a first half lead but in the dying seconds of the half Buckland forced an equaliser with a Reece Shanley effort from 15 yards beating Andy Collings.

Only three minutes after the restart St Austell regained the lead with a drilled shot from the edge of the penalty area by Max Gilbert, who is starting to make an impact at the club after a false start because of a suspension hanging over from last season.

The Lillywhites continued to impress and they came close a couple of times in the next 10 minutes to increasing their lead.

It took a deflected free-kick from the impressive Sam Morcom to draw Buckland level just after the hour.

A well-hit shot clipped the St Austell wall and left keeper Collings powerless to stop the ball flying past him.

Even that unfortunate setback didn’t knock St Austell off course and they took the lead for a third time with 10 minutes to go as Eddy produced another classy finish to make it 3-2.

But Buckland, who have lost only once in nine games, remained a threat in attack and striker Ryan Bush was on hand to score their third equaliser six minutes from time.

ST AUSTELL: Andy Collings, Jake Shaw, Martyn Duff, Tom Whipp, Ollie Brokenshire, Callum Watson, Henry Wilson, Matt Searle, Liam Eddy, Max Gilbert, George Marris. Subs: Harvey Hann, Neil Slateford, Tom Guest, Jamie Gilbert, Connor Wharton.

St Austell man of the match: Liam Eddy.