Falmouth Town outplayed the Ashes at Kimberley Stadium on Saturday and thoroughly deserved to get their first away league win of the season.
Town lined up with an attacking 4-2-4 formation and went at Saltash from the start forcing an early corner which ended with Dave Smith heading Danny O’Hagan’s goalbound header away from under the bar.
Saltash tried a few long ball breakaways but these were never allowed to yield anything thanks to Town’s defence being alert to the dangers and closing in on the Ashes forwards before they had time to finish the move.
O’Hagan put Town ahead after 14 minutes, a poor clearance by a home defender rebounded to the Falmouth striker and he took the ball towards goal before coolly drilling it past Kenny Griffiths in the home goal.
Liam Eddy and Matt Drummond were making some good runs on the flanks and the Saltash defence was being stretched across the park as they tried to cope with O’Hagan and Ryan Fice in the middle as well.
Jimmy Alexander, who had a great game in midfield, with his tireless running, put a long ball out to Eddy and the lively winger sent a low cross into O’Hagan but Griffiths was out quickly and grabbed the ball as the striker was shaping up for a shot at goal.
Saltash had a free kick near the edge of the area which saw Town keeper Jason Chapman, make a fine save at the foot of the post from Glen Palmer’s shot.
Play then switched to the other end and Lee Doel conceded a free kick as he brought down Richard Kellow as he sped along the left flank. The resultant free kick saw Tom Smith’s header blocked by the Ashes captain Toby Clark, who had a good game in the heart of the defence.
Saltash started the second half on the attack with former Town player Carlton Farnham having several dangerous runs on the right but Smith and Sean Flynn were in no mood to give anything away and they cleared up any potential chances the Ashes made.
Alexander and Tom Barwell combined well in the middle of the park to set Drummond away and despite close attention from Paul Madden he got his cross over but Griffiths caught it under pressure from O’Hagan.
Saltash then had a quick breakaway and Martyn Sullivan’s cross found Glen Palmer, who had managed to lose his marker, but he headed over the bar from close in.
Falmouth doubled their lead on the hour when Alexander’s corner kick found Flynn racing in to head home at the near post and give Town the cushion they needed to subdue the home side.
The following 20 minute spell saw Saltash make three substitutions, including their new signing from Tavistock Chris Menhenick, whose father Nigel used to play for Falmouth near the end of their Western League days.
Ashes keeper Kenny Griffiths twice reacted quickly to thwart Fice as the lively striker closed in on Eddy’s through balls and Ben Stidwell had a great run along the right flank before cutting in and playing a good one-two with Drummond only to see Griffiths again come to the home side’s rescue with a good save from Fice.
With ten minutes remaining Nigel Thwaites came on to replace the injured Barwell, who had had a good game in midfield alongside Alexander
Eddy ran onto a good ball from Kellow and took it past a defender before cutting in towards goal but he shot just over.
A few minutes later, however he put a perfect pass through to Drummond who fired home a low shot past the keeper inside the far post for his fifth goal of the season.
There was just enough time for Saltash to have one last break and following a corner, Chapman made a great reaction save at his near post to keep a well deserved clean sheet.
Falmouth have a hugely important Throgmorton Cup game on Thursday evening against Bodmin Town at Bickland Park (7.30pm) and the following Tuesday, entertain Wadebridge Town (7.30).