Rowett Insurance League Cup
Bere Alston United 1
St Dennis 3
DESPITE a spirited performance, Bere's interest in the League Cup was ended for another season as they went down 3-1 to St Dennis, who played the best part of 85 minutes with ten men.
Having started poorly in their previous three home games, Bere began this quarter-final tie with more purpose and appeared to be given a major boost when the St Dennis winger Jason Warne was issued with a straight red card following an altercation with Will Westlake after only eight minutes.
However, within a minute Bere found themselves a goal behind as the impressive Chris Brown whipped a free kick around the Bere wall and into the bottom corner with Jack Dixon rooted.
Worse was to follow as ten minutes later Brown claimed his and the St Dennis second when his in swinging corner was punched into his own net off the underside of the crossbar by Dixon.
For the remainder of the half, Bere set about reducing the arrears forcing the St Dennis keeper Mike Barrett into a string of fine saves and Mike Curtis was also unlucky to see his deflected shot rebound off the post.
Bere came out all guns blazing after the break as Dan Follett and Will Westlake both saw goal bound efforts cleared off the line and they were also guilty of squandering numerous other chances to score.
Then with 20 minutes to go, Jason Cordice was tripped in the penalty area and picked himself up to slot home the resulting spot kick.
Bere reverted to three at the back as they went in search of an equaliser but were caught on the break when Aaron Rockey's misplaced pass was seized upon by Carl Rickard who raced clear before setting up Chris Brown who completed his hat-trick with a deflected shot over Dixon.
Bere tried in vain to reduce the arrears in the final ten minutes and on the final whistle manager Kevin Taylor was left to reflect that for all his side's endeavour, work rate and commitment they were once again undone at home by missed chances, sloppy defending and goalkeeping errors.