By Kevin Marriott

SWPL PREMIER WEST (FRIDAY)

Dobwalls 1 Liskeard Athletic 2

ONE piece of outstanding quality from Max Gilbert three minutes from time settled a feisty derby in front of a bumper Friday night crowd of 252 at Lantoom Park.

With the game edging towards a draw, Liskeard substitute Gilbert unleashed a fierce shot from 25 yards which flew over Dobwalls keeper James Morley and into the net.

It was enough to secure the Blues’ fifth successive league victory and put an end to Dobwalls’ eight-match unbeaten start to the season.

Earlier, Adam Kenyon had given the home side a 39th minute lead before Macauley Thorp’s penalty sent the teams in level at half-time.

“That’s what we pay the money for” was the shout from near the Liskeard dugout after second half jibes from Dobwalls manager Ben Washam about how much they must have paid to have Max Gilbert and Curtis Damerell on their bench.

Both players, who are dual registered with Western League side St Austell, were introduced midway through the second half and Gilbert in particular had a big influence on the last 20 minutes.

The game had started cagily but Liskeard offered more of a threat and came close to breaking the deadlock in the 18th minute with a piledriver from John Heveran which beat Morley but struck a post and was scrambled away.

James Lorenz, playing on the left and cutting in, then set up skipper Jarrad Woods for an opportunity on the half hour but he curled his shot just over the bar.

Four minutes later it took all of Nathan Lang’s presence to stop another Heveran rocket which left the Dobwalls player needing time to recover his breath.

But it was Dobwalls who took the lead six minutes before the break when a free-kick from just inside the Liskeard half was headed down by Josh Johnson to Kenyon, who made no mistake from 15 yards.

Liskeard almost equalised a minute later with Matt Andrew hitting a post, but the Blues were soon level when Morley, racing towards the edge of his area, tripped the onrushing Thorp, who picked himself up to score the resulting penalty.

Chances were few and far between in a second half where defences were on top but the introduction of Max Gilbert for Will Gilbert after 69 minutes was a significant turning point.

Liskeard ramped up the pressure and in the 84th minute Lorenz got free in the penalty area and chipped the ball over the advancing Morley but watched in frustration as it just cleared the bar.

But three minutes later the Blues were back on the attack and Gilbert needed only a yard of space on the edge of the penalty area to produce a stunning shot which whistled under the bar.

Dobwalls staged a late fightback and almost dug out an equaliser in the third minute of time added on as sub Denham Guild hit a shot from 20 yards which flew inches wide.

The sending off of Kenyon in the fifth minute of injury time, for a second yellow, completed a disappointing night for Dobwalls.

DOBWALLS: James Morley, Adam Kenyon, Dan Tate (Ryan Geach 83), Nathan Lang (Denham Guild 60), Joe Cook, James Forrest, Kai Burrell (Charlie Mahoney 85), Oscar Larrieu, Josh Johnson, Charlie Castlehouse, Kaycee Ogwu. Subs not used: Connor Johnson, Taylor Davey.

LISKEARD ATHLETIC: Luke Gwillam, Josh McCabe, Ben Collins, Darren Hicks, John Heveran, Macauley Thorp, Will Gilbert (Max Gilbert 69), James Lorenz, Cameron Patterson (Curtis Damerell 66), Matt Andrew, Jarrad Woods (Dan Jennings 90+2). Subs not used: Cory Harvey (gk), JoeMoynan.

Men of thematch. Dobwalls – James Forrest; Liskeard – Jarrad Woods.