Blazey bow out of FA Cup after late Tiverton fightback

The progress St Blazey are making this season was there for all to see at Blaise Park on Saturday – even if they fell just short of an FA Cup upset.

For an hour the Green and Blacks gave as good as they got against a strong Southern League Premier South side after Olly Redd had given them a 1-0 lead on the stroke of half-time.

In the end Blazey were undone by two set-pieces in the last 14 minutes and Tiverton will argue their second half dominance merited their progress.

Louie Slough was on hand to equalise in the 76th minute after a free-kick came back off the post and player-manager Asa Hall clinched victory with a back post header from a disputed corner.

Blazey boss Dan Hart said: “It was a blood and thunder cup tie, in which I felt we completely controlled the first half an hour of the game. Ironically, once Tiverton started to grow into it, we scored and went in at 1-0.

“We knew they’d be a very different side in the second half, and in fairness they operated with far more aggression and attacking threat.

“They posed different wide threats also, and Coulibaly came on and had a real impact on the game.”

He went on: “We prepared for a side who were physically huge and strong at set-plays, and unfortunately it was always going to be our downfall if we were to go out.

“We conceded from two of them, which we are disappointed with for sure. For the large part, however, I felt we were largely competitive and more than held our own against a side aiming for play-off positions at Step Four.”

He added: “We move straight back to league action, and we know we have a real task on our hands on Wednesday evening at home to Ivybridge who are fighters, and are playing with real belief.”

On Saturday, after a cautious start by both sides, St Blazey caused the first danger in the 16th minute with a long-range shot from Jack Calver which whistled just over the bar and soon afterwards a goal-bound Teigan Rosenquest shot was deflected off a defender into keeper Louis Smith’s hands.

The home side continued to have the brightest moments and when Rosenquest’s excellent ball from the halfway line sent Tallan Mitchell through on the right, he cut inside and curled a left foot shot inches wide.

Tiverton finally created some danger five minutes before the break when Ryan Keates’ near-post flick went just wide, and three minutes later a half volley from Jacob Wellington sailed over the bar.

St Blazey’s response was to take the lead three minutes into stoppage-time. A sweeping move along the right ended with Mitchell feeding Redd in the penalty area who finished with supreme confidence.

Blazey thought they had doubled their lead in the 56th minute when Mitchell produced a stunning finish from just inside the penalty area, and the referee initially appeared to award a goal.

But he was encouraged by the visitors to consult his linesman, who had spotted Mitchell controlling the ball with a hand before firing his shot into the net. It was the correct decision.

From that point it was all about whether Tiverton could find an equaliser and they dominated proceedings from that point and only a superb clearance inside the six-yard box by Rosenquest prevented a goal in the 64th minute.

Owen Howe then might have done better with a volley which drifted inches wide, but the visitors were level two minutes later. A long free-kick from near the halfway line evaded everybody and smashed against an upright before Slough reacted first to force the ball over the line.

The winner came six minutes from time and wasn’t without controversy. The referee seemed to take an age to decide to award Tiverton a corner when it could well have been a goal-kick.

Jacob Wellington’s superb cross targeted the far post where Hall jumped higher than everybody else to power in his header.

Blazey committed everything in their attempts to find an equaliser which would have secured a midweek replay, but despite pressure leading to two corners in stoppage-time, the ball just wouldn’t fall favourably for them.

ST BLAZEY: Kyle Moore, Teigan Rosenquest, Jack Calver, Tom Cavanagh, Jordan Bentley, Aaron Bentley (Tom Strike, 90+2), Olly Redd, Ben Fowles (Will Tinsley, 74), Kai Burrell, Tallan Mitchell (Harry Blows, 86), Cam Hutchison. Subs not used: Sam Clifton, Mac Dewsnap (gk).

Blazey man-of-the-match: Tallan Mitchell.