By Kevin Marriott at Blaise Park
WESTERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (WEDNESDAY)
St Blazey 4 Saltash United 1
FOUR days after slumping to a shock opening day 8-0 defeat at Brislington, St Blazey bounced back with an emphatic victory over Saltash at Blaise Park on Wednesday night.
The Green & Blacks never looked back after scoring twice in six minutes at the end of the first half with a Jacob Rowe penalty and a quality left foot finish from man of the match Ryan Downing.
Saltash pulled a goal back three minutes into the second half through Kieran O’Melia’s header, but any hopes of a comeback were dashed by further goals for Blazey from Gary Hird (55 minutes) and an own goal (78).
Blazey joint first team coach Brad Richardson said: “I thought we were good value for the win.
“We got a slice of luck in the first half when a defensive error gave Saltash a golden opportunity which they didn’t take.
“We got the second goal at a crucial stage of the half but I think the lads deserved to be in front at the break.
“In the second half Saltash came back into it which we knew they would with the quality they have, and got the goal to make it 2-1.
“But what was really pleasing for me was the reaction of the lads, because after the weekend they could have crumbled, but they didn’t.
“We got the third and fourth goals and I thought we deserved it.”
Ashes boss Macca Brown said: “Not a great night at the office to be honest. I always think the season starts at the second game because there’s no doubt everyone is ready for the first game of the season, but the second game comes around so quickly you have to be ready to go again and we weren’t.
“Full credit to St Blazey, they had a difficult opener at Brislington but responded in the manner that you would expect any team in this league to.
“We tweaked one or two things from Saturday and it didn’t really work, which probably contributed to our downfall.
“That was perhaps silly from us because we’ve worked on things over pre-season and then essentially ripped it up last night and we looked a bit lost and confused which falls back on us and we can accept that.
“But equally, we were really poor as a team defensively and the goals were horror shows from our point of view, so we can’t have too many complaints at the result.”
He added: “It’s not the end of the world, we’ve not performed well and we’ve lost the game.
“That’s generally how it works when you don’t play well and Saturday gives us the chance to put it right in the FA Cup at Brixham.”
ST BLAZEY: Shaun Semmens, Will Tinsley (capt), Mark Wilson, Charlie Hambly, Freddie Walter, Scott Sanders, EliEvans (Jayden Gilbert, 88), Brooklyn Wilkins (Alfie Wotton, 86), Jacob Rowe (Reece Hendrickson, 77), Ryan Downing, Gary Hird (Noah Maund, 69).
Goals: Jacob Rowe (36, pen), Ryan Downing (42), G Hird (55), own goal (78). Yellow cards: Charlie Hambly (34), Brooklyn Wilkins (60).
SALTASH UNITED: Jordan Duffey, Dave Barker, Ethan Wright (Tom Huyton, 77), Elliott Crawford, Tyler Yendle, Laurence Murray (Hayden Greening, 46), Kieran O’Melia, Jack Kelsey (Jack Wood 46), Tom Payne (capt), Aaron Goulty (Ben Goulty, 83), Joe Preece (Jack Jefford, 62).
Goal: Kieran O’Melia (48). Yellow cards: Dave Barker (36), Tom Huyton (37, from subs’ bench).
Referee: Lee Dudman. Attendance: 227. Men of the match: St Blazey – Ryan Downing; Saltash – Kieran O’Melia.
Footnote: Brooklyn Wilkins has now moved from St Blazey to Tavistock.