LISKEARD-LOOE fell to a second straight defeat on Saturday as promotion-chasing Helston ran out comfortable winners in West Cornwall.

The Lions made the long trip down to Clodgey Lane with only three of the permitted four replacements named, but still put out a strong side.

The first quarter was tight with both defences standing strong, but on 20 minutes Liskeard lost influential No.8 Flynn Elworthy with a shoulder injury which meant blindside-flanker Adam Dack moved across with Ollie Dunn coming on as a replacement.

When the game resumed it remained tight until the 37th minute when the home side scored an unconverted try from Leo Armstrong-Lever to take the half-time score to 5-0.

It had been a tight half where both sides gave nothing away, and with the change of ends in the second half it looked as though the Lions had a good chance of getting a positive result.

On forty-five minutes the home side scored a second unconverted try from Amori Matanatabu following a passage of good handling at pace. On forty-eight minutes Liskeard lost two players, captain and hooker Archie Doidge and centre Will Cameron, both to yellow cards in an incident that saw a Helston player also take 10 minutes in the bin.

However, that seemed to inspire Helston to up their game and they soon scored a converted try via Heydon Dark which was added to by full-back Tomas Townsend to make the score 17-0.

During the build up to the third try the Lions lost Dack to injury, thus causing another change in the pack with flanker Andy Rowe taking the No.8 berth, lock Oscar Mortimor slipping back from lock with Dan Lethbridge replacing him in the second row.

The upheaval in the forwards was Liskeard’s undoing as Helston quickly scored another unconverted try from Armstrong-Lever on the hour.

On seventy-five minutes Helston scored a converted try the scoring was completed during stoppage time when the home side scored another converted try to make the final score 36-0, despite the scoreline Liskeard remain in fifth spot in the league.

View from the touchline was that what had started out as a tight match had turned into a bit of a nightmare for the Lions, not helped by the upheavals in the forwards.

The Liskeard-Looe supporters man-of-the-match award was shared between Andy Rowe and Ollie Dunn.

The Lions are set to welcome Wadebridge Camels Seconds on Saturday (2.30pm), and a large home crowd would be appreciated as they try and return to winning ways.

There was frustration for the rest of the Cornish Times’ clubs.

Saltash’s rearranged home date with Kingsbridge was called off in Counties One Western West as was the Ashes’ second-string’s trip to Camborne School of Mines in Counties Three Cornwall, while elsewhere in Liskeard’s league, Bodmin were beaten 61-12 by St Just at Callywith College despite tries from Ash Saunter and Mac Reed with Joe Kendall adding a conversion.

As well as Liskeard’s home date with Wadebridge this weekend, Saltash Seconds are due to host St Agnes, while the Ashes’ first team and Bodmin are both without a game.

LISKEARD-LOOE: Kieran Underhill; Alex Kendall, Will Cameron, Jack Badnall, Sean Simmons; Callum Beaver, Jay Mason; Mike Prowse, Archie Doidge (capt), Jack Wilton; Billy Warner, Oscar Mortimer; Adam Dack, Andy Rowe, Flynn Elworthy. Replacements: Mike Mander, Dan Lethbridge, Ollie Dunn.