By Kevin Marriott at Blaise Park

WESTERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (SATURDAY)

St Blazey 2 St Austell 4

WHEN substitute George Marris intercepted a clearance from goalkeeper Shaun Semmens in the fourth minute of time added on, the sensible thing might have been to run the ball towards the corner flag.

After all, St Austell were hanging on at 3-2 up against neighbours St Blazey and there were barely two minutes left at a misty Blaise Park.

But Semmens, in racing out of his penalty area to win the ball, had left his goal exposed and Marris, wide on the right and not far from the visitors’ dugout about 45 yards out, was immediately urged by those on the bench to shoot.

So he did. And despite the difficulty of the angle, the young attacker produced an astonishing lofted shot which cleared the desperately back-peddling Semmens and curled magnificently just inside the post into the unguarded net to send the dugout occupants and Lillywhites fans among the 705 crowd delirious.

Not only was it a serious contender for goal of the season at any level, Marris’s effort cemented a St Austell victory after a strong fightback by their hot rivals.

Chris Knight’s team had started like a house on fire, storming into a 3-0 lead inside 25 minutes.

After Tom Hensman had been denied a fourth minute opener by Andy Collings, the Saints swept ahead three minutes later when a through ball from Martyn Duff sent Searle through and he took the ball around Semmens to make it 1-0.

Before Blazey had time to recover, the Saints doubled their lead two minutes later with Tom Whipp forcing the ball over the line from a set piece.

And it was 3-0 in the 21st minute with a sweeping move down the right led by Neil Slateford. He found Henry Wilson who squared the ball towards the penalty spot where Kieron Bishop fired low into the net.

But a Jacob Rowe header from Sam Clifton’s cross from the left 12 minutes before half-time gave the home side a lifeline.

Clifton then tried his luck from 30 yards with a stunning shot which beat Collings but crashed against the bar.

Blazey got stronger as the game went on and reduced the deficit to one goal with Rowe’s 65th minute penalty to set up a rousing finish.

On a cloying, energy-sapping playing surface, you could see the Lillywhites wilting as Blazey pushed for an equaliser.

In a dominant second half display they came close several times, including seeing a Ben Rowe header cleared off the line by Jake Shaw and Noah Maund agonisingly close to connecting to an inviting low cross from the left by George Newton which skimmed across the six-yard box.

It really felt like it was only a matter of time before Blazey made it 3-3 to complete a remarkable comeback.

So the moment of Marris magic felt like a dagger through the heart of the Green & Blacks, with several players, having given their all, slumping onto the sodden ground.

But there was no denying that Marris’s goal was worthy of winning any game.

ST BLAZEY: Shaun Semmens, Will Tinsley (capt), Cameron McCabe, Charlie Hambly, Tom Cavanagh (Tom Strike 90), Ben Rowe, Tom Hensman, Sam Clifton, Jacob Rowe, George Newton, Alfie Fothergill (Noah Maund 56). Subs: Jayden Gilbert, Dan Carne, Mark Wilson.

ST AUSTELL: Andy Collings; Jake Shaw, Martyn Duff, Henry Wilson, Damon Mulready, Tom Whipp, Neil Slateford (capt), Matt Searle, Kieron Bishop (Haiden Chapman 90+6), Adam Carter (Liam Eddy 77), Ryan Downing (George Marris 62).

Men of the Match. St Blazey – Charlie Hambly; St Austell – Henry Wilson.