HOLDERS Falmouth crashed out of the Cornwall Senior Cup at the last 16 stage on Tuesday night when they were beaten by a confident Newquay side at Bickland Park.

Andrew Westgarth’s side, who beat St Austell to lift the prestigious trophy at Newquay in May, twice led early on before a red card for defender Brad Leivers changed the course of the tie.

The Peppermints goals came from Cam Turner, Louis Price (penalty), Rhys Simmonds and Jacob Grange.

Newquay boss Shaun Middleton said: “It was a great night for all involved. Away from league duties, we went with a depleted squad and had to pull from the reserves and those who were involved were a credit to the club.

“We started slowly again and conceded after a fast counter attack, the very thing we spoke about in the changing room beforehand, which was frustrating.

“But again we got ourselves back in the game from a Cam Turner special and then we conceded for what I thought was a foul on the keeper.

“Then I’m thinking it’s going to be one of those nights but as always our boys fought back and then our forwards turned it on with Rhys (Simmonds) being brought down by the last man for the penalty – and then we kicked on.

“We rode our luck and defended our box brilliantly early in the second half but also broke with purpose.”

He added: “I’m really proud of our performance and thank all the travelling supporters also. But it’s time to get back to league duty which is key with a really tough game against Sidmouth on Saturday.”

Luke Barner gave Falmouth a perfect start by making it 1-0 after three minutes after good work by Oscar Massey and although the Peppermints soon equalised courtesy of a stunning Turner free kick, Falmouth were back in front in the 16th minute.

A corner from the right was headed towards the net by Cam Hutchinson and after several Falmouth players claimed the ball had gone over the line, the referee awarded a goal.

This seemed to inspire Newquay and they were back on level terms after 28 minutes with a Price penalty after Leivers brought down Simmonds.

Leivers, apparently already on a yellow card, was shown his second and the red to reduce the home side to 10 men for the last hour.

And the visitors wasted no time in making their numerical advantage count as the pacy Simmonds finished in style to put them 3-2 up after 36 minutes.

Falmouth came out for the second half in determined fashion and piled on the pressure in their search for an equaliser.

But they were caught out just before the hour when a rare Newquay break led to Jacob Grange making it 4-2 after good work by Simmonds.

Falmouth: R Barnes, F Walters, B Leivers, H Jewell, T Annear, M Duff, L Barner, J Sims, R Wilson, O Massey, C Hutchinson.

Subs: L Hilling, A Ibbotson, N Symonds, O Evans, L Brabyn.

Goals: L Barner (3 mins), C Hutchinson (16).

Red card: B Leivers (27, 2nd yellow).

Newquay: E Elwell, J Edlin, T Moxham, C Turner, H Downing, H Richards (L Potts 70), T Shepherd, R Simmonds, R Fallens, J Grange, L Price (S Fearon 70).

Subs not used: O Butterworth, C Eguaoje, B Cole (gk).

Goals: C Turner (11), L Price (28 pen), R Simmonds (36), J Grange (59).

Man of the Match: Ross Fallens.

Elsewhere in the Cornwall Senior Cup on Tuesday night, Mousehole beat Helston 3-2 at Trungle Parc while Camelford won 4-1 at Bude.

The teams in the draw for the quarter-finals are: Camelford, Dobwalls, Mousehole, Newquay, Penzance, St Blazey, Saltash United and Sticker.