By Kevin Marriott

WESTERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

St Austell 1 Paulton Rovers 3

ST AUSTELL suffered their first defeat at Poltair Park since New Year’s Day as they let slip a first half advantage in a controversial encounter against Paulton on Saturday.

The Lillywhites, who went into the game on the back of three wins, looked to be on course for more points when skipper Neil Slateford converted a 44th minute penalty to send them into the break 1-0 ahead.

But after substitute Dan McBeam equalised on the hour, the game turned on its head five minutes later when Paulton were awarded a dubious penalty which Koran Jaiyeoba scored to put the visitors ahead.

And McBeam confounded St Austell’s miserable second half by making it 3-1 10 minutes from time, capitalising on a howler from keeper Andy Collings, while the visitors were down to 10 men following a sin-bin for their keeper, Dan Jackson.

Matt Searle
St Austell saw penalty appeals for a foul on Matt Searle waved away by the referee. Picture: Paul Williams. (Paul Williams)

Speaking on Sunday, St Austell manager Chris Knight said: “Sometimes when you lose it ruins your weekend and your whole week and it makes you not want to think about football. The overriding feeling from yesterday is I feel sorry for my players.

“Firstly the critical part; after executing a game-plan to the letter first half, getting the goal and being rock solid, we don’t finish them off and we don’t make a numerical advantage for 10 minutes count, that’s on us and we accept that.

“Paulton get the win and we will never shy away from that; the third goal is a basic error, my keeper has saved us countless times this season but it’s an unforgiving position, he’s been brilliant for me.

“The second part, I have to be careful what I say as I want to be stood on the sidelines not sitting in the stand, but I’m sure at the bottom of your report you’ll note the officials, and that’s all I’ll say on the matter.

“To be honest it beggars belief. I know there was an assessor there yesterday and I’ll be interested to read his report, I’d imagine it will be lengthy.

“How on earth the linesman misses an offside in the build-up to their equaliser is bad enough and then the penalty – I can’t even describe it.

“Martyn Duff makes the best tackle he’s made all season, absolutely perfect, wins the ball clean as a whistle and out for a corner, which the ref gives.

“Then from nowhere the linesman gives a penalty, all their players are even mesmerised by it, I honestly can’t describe it, it’s astounding.”

Adam Carter.
Adam Carter looks to win the ball off two Paulton players. Picture: Paul Williams (Paul Williams)

He went on: “No issue with losing, we should have killed them off, but my players trying to play on that pitch I felt sorry for them, it was impossible.

“Yes, people can say we should have done more but I’m telling you now (Lionel) Messi couldn’t control a ball on that surface, it was like Coronation Street, same for both teams though I guess.

“Anyway, all of those things aside, you have to do enough to win and sadly we didn’t, we need to learn from it.”

ST AUSTELL: Andy Collings, Jake Shaw, Martyn Duff, Rhys Hooper (Henry Wilson), Tom Whipp, Callum Watson (George Marris), Neil Slateford (capt), Matt Searle, Adam Carter, Kieron Bishop, Ryan Downing. Sub not used: Josh Bragg.