GEORGE Newton scored twice in five minutes soon after half-time at Jenkins Park to wipe out Millbrook’s first half lead and set Liskeard on their way to a victory which sent them back to the top of Premier West.

The home side had led through a screamer of a wind-assisted shot from Lee Robinson midway through a first half which was otherwise dominated by the Blues, who spurned a host of chances in front of a crowd of 50.

With the significant wind at their backs on the restart, Liskeard took only five minutes to equalise when a Max Gilbert thunderbolt was somehow kept out by keeper Josh Clark but fell to Newton, who smashed the rebound into the net.

Millbrook’s experienced defender Jason Richards was clearly unhappy with an aspect of the goal and the referee took exception to his comments, pointing him to the sin-bin.

While he was off the field, Liskeard took the lead for the first time when a superb run along the left by Dan Jennings ended with Newton latching onto a low cross and firing past Clark to make it 2-1.

The Blues poured forward in search of more goals, with Jennings and James Lorenz causing problems on the flanks, and substitute CJ Pritchard thought he had scored their third goal in the 83rd minute with a fine header from Gilbert’s superb cross from the right, but it was ruled out for offside.

A minute later Newton, hungry for his hat-trick, stretched at the far post to get in a header but watched in frustration as the gusty wind lifted the ball over the bar.

Lorenz, who did everything but score in another impressive 90 minutes, had two opportunities in a minute to do so late on. His first shot from just inside the penalty area was brilliantly saved by Clark; his second went high over the bar from a good position.

But Liskeard finally got the goal to settle any nerves a minute from the end of normal time as good work by Lorenz and Gilbert on the right side of the penalty area led to a ball across the six-yard box which skipper Matt Andrew tapped in.

This was Liskeard’s sixth win in their opening seven games and with several players coming back from injuries and unavailability, they look to have strength in depth this season to go one better after successive seasons as runners-up.

Millbrook, who sit sixth in the table, could not be faulted for effort.

Their manager Rohan Brown, who dashed to watch the second half after arriving back from holiday, said: “We’re a young bunch so we’ve got a bit to learn from a physical perspective, but we’ll be okay.”

MILLBROOK: Josh Clark, Cameron Stephens, Will Burns (Charlie Brown), Jason Richards, Ben Endean, Abu Balde, Josh Toulson, Josh Geraghty (Alfie Cole), Lee Robinson, Liam Manchip (Lewis Pacey), Louis Wilson (Jayden Preece). Sub not used: Kobi Lau.

LISKEARD ATHLETIC: Luke Gwillam, Harvey Mullis (Josh McCabe, 64), Ben Collins, Harry Jeffery (Matt Outtram, 64), Scott Sanders, JordanPowell, Max Gilbert, James Lorenz, George Newton, Dan Jennings (CJ Pritchard, 66), Matt Andrew (capt). Subs not used: Cory Harvey (gk), Tom Savigar.

Men-of-the-match: Millbrook – Will Burns; Liskeard Athletic – George Newton.