LISKEARD Athletic’s never-say-die attitude came to the fore again at Callington on Tuesday night as they ended a successful season by lifting the Champions’ Bowl.

With six minutes of added time played, the Blues were trailing 2-1 to Premier East champions Bovey Tracey and down to nine men after skipper Josh McCabe (red card) and Ben Collins (sin-bin) were ordered off just before the end of normal time.

But the inspirational Max Gilbert was still out there and when George Newton won a free-kick just outside the penalty area on the left side, only one man was going to take it.

Gilbert – scorer of the late, late goal at Dobwalls on Good Friday which clinched the Premier West title – stepped up and curled an inch-perfect shot into the far corner of the net.

Liskeard keeper Luke Gwillam, who had gone up for the free-kick, was inches away from getting a touch but said later that he wasn’t taking that one away from Gilbert.

The equaliser forced a penalty shootout which the Blues won 5-3 with all five spot kicks converted (Harry Jeffery, Gilbert, Dan Jennings, Bailey Mabin and Jordan Powell).

Cieran Bridger hit the bar with Bovey’s second penalty while the others were scored (Josh Webber, Finn Roberts, Owen Stockton). The fifth penalty was not needed.

The match itself was unsavoury at times – memories of Bovey’s penalty shootout win in the Walter C Parson Cup quarter-final in February never far from the surface – and referee Max Davies did well to keep so many players on the pitch.

Liskeard made a quick start, taking the lead in the second minute when Collins fired in from the edge of the penalty area, his bobbling shot wrong-footed Bovey keeper Dom Aplin.

But it took only four more minutes for the Premier East’s Golden Boot winner Levi Landricombe to equalise, stretching at the far post to finish off a Harvey Coggins header from Bridger’s free-kick.

A great start to the game was then spoilt by some ugly scenes – McCabe might have seen red in the 22nd minute for the way he ‘marked’ Landricombe on the goal line while waiting for a corner to be taken. He was fortunate that the officials didn’t see it.

Landricombe responded by hitting a thunderous shot against the bar on the half-hour while at the other end James Lorenz produced a fierce drive which Aplin did well to claim.

Bovey came close to edging ahead five minutes before the break when a shot from Stuart Bowker was brilliantly kept out by Gwillam.

The Liskeard keeper was again called into action three minutes after the break, denying Bowker from close range when he looked certain to score.

But the Devon side took their next chance in the 50th minute when Landricombe swung his boot at an excellent cross from Webber and saw the ball hit his knee and roll into the net. They all count.

Bovey continued to look the more likely to add to their lead and only another top-notch save from Gwillam in the 77th minute prevented Landricombe from completing his hat-trick from a three-on-one breakaway.

They had been the better side in the second half and when McCabe and Collins departed within two minutes of each other, Liskeard’s night looked over and done with.

But it had only just begun.

PENALTY SHOOTOUT:

Liskeard (in order): Harry Jeffery, Max Gilbert, Dan Jennings, Bailey Mabin, Jordan Powell.

Bovey Tracey (in order): Josh Webber, Cieron Bridger – missed; Finn Roberts, Owen Stockton).

LISKEARD ATHLETIC: Luke Gwillam; Ben Collins, Harvey Mullis (George Newton, 75), Harry Jeffery, Josh McCabe (capt), Matt Andrew, Max Gilbert, James Lorenz (Dan Jennings, 75), Jordan Powell, Sean Thomson, Ryan Richards (Bailey Mabin, 71). Subs not used: Matt Outtram, Scott Sanders.

BOVEY TRACEY: Dom Aplin; Jack Brimming, Finn Roberts, Owen Stockton, Harvey Coggins, Cieran Bridger, Alex Gray, Louie Roberts (Cal Leech, 43), Stuart Bowker (Ollie Aplin, 63), Levi Landricombe (Dave Rowe, 84), Josh Webber.

Subs not used: Lewis Perring, Cliff Walters.

Referee: Max Davies.

Attendance: 261.

Men-of-the-match: Liskeard Athletic – Luke Gwillam; Bovey Tracey – Levi Landricombe.