East Cornwall premier Probus 1

BERE ALSTON made the journey into Cornwall looking to complete only there second competitive game since the end of October and back to back wins for the first time this season following the 4-1 win against Liskeard before Christmas.

They were also looking for revenge having lost at home to Probus and on a heavy surface, they started brightly with Marcus Pethick making some good runs down the right flank on what seemed like the only decent area of the pitch.

The first half was a dour affair amid the pouring rain with both sides finding the conditions difficult although Tony Rawlings made two fine saves midway through the half and from a well taken Probus free kick the ball ricocheted off Will Westlake and struck a post before being cleared for a corner. On the stroke of half time, Will Westlake forced the Probus keeper into a superb one handed save with a rasping drive as the teams went in 0-0 at the break.

Probus began the second half in the ascendancy and Bere were dealt a blow when Marcus Pethick limped off with a calf injury to be replaced by Joe Hodgkiss.

Probus were starting to find space in midfield and deservedly took the lead when Martin Bishop nipped in behind the Bere defence and lifted the ball over the advancing Tony Rawlings.

Rawlings then made a superb save to deny Chris Davey making it 2-0, but within five minutes, later Bere were level. Lee Howells took a free kick deep in his own half that eluded everyone and found its way into the back of the net via a combination of the post and the bemused Probus keeper.

The pitch by now had turned into a quagmire that made flowing football impossible, but with Bere pressing forward, Dan Follett broke in from the left and crossed hard and low for Nick Aplin to supply the finishing touch at the far post.

Joe Hodgkiss had a great chance to make it 3-1 but the Probus keeper saved his attempted lob and in the final ten minutes, Bere defended heroically to hang on for a hard-earned victory.

Sticker 1

Bere Alston United 2

MANAGER Kevin Taylor had to reshuffle his Bere Alston pack with Dan Follett reverting to an unfamiliar role at left back, but Taylor was able to welcome back regular first choice keeper Craig Howells.

With Sticker sensing uneasiness in the Bere camp, Howells had to make two smart saves in the first five minutes as the home side started brightly. Bere slowly began to get into the game and were defending resolutely, until the 25th minute when Lee Howells misjudged a long clearance from Sticker keeper Rob Roseveare and Alex Woodcock nipped in to slot the ball past Craig Howells.

However, Bere were level within two minutes when Dan Pethick flicked a through ball from James Elliott on and Darren Smalley raced through to shoot low past Roseveare.

Sticker's Andy Avery was unlucky to see his header rebound of the crossbar, whilst Darren Smalley and Mike Curtis both had efforts well saved by Rob Roseveare as the sides went in level at the break.

Bere dominated the early part of the half with Darren Smalley, Mike Curtis, Dan Pethick and James Elliott all going close before Sticker's Rob Roseveare made a stunning save from a Mike Curtis pile driver that had seemed destined for the top corner.

Bere's pressure was rewarded with 20 minutes to go when Mike Curtis latched onto another Dan Pethick flick on and evaded two defenders before lifting the ball over the keeper for a cool finish. In the closing minutes, Sticker's Chris Kitson had a goal rightly disallowed for offside and James Elliott cleared another effort off the line as Bere hung on for another superb away victory.

Kevin Taylor was delighted with the fighting spirit of his side typified by a man of the match performance from captain Will Westlake.