Valiant Sidley knocked out of FA Vase

The Blues, severely stretched by unavailabilities, pushed an accomplished St Blazey side that could easily hold its own at a higher level all the way before succumbing to an 89th minute clinching goal in a 2-1 defeat.

They could even have gone through to the last 32 had Dave Carey not had a goal dubiously ruled out for offside and had what looked a stonewall penalty been awarded for handball near the end.

"We've got seven players out today," said manager Liam Barham, "but they did themselves and the club proud. I would say that team has got a very good chance of winning the competition and we took them to the wire.

"Dave Carey was outstanding and was it offside or wasn't it offside? I'm not sure, but first look at it, I thought it was a perfectly good goal. The handball incident, I feel that referees are giving 70 per cent of those. Did he bottle it? Yes, probably."

And it was these two incidents that prompted one to leave the ground thinking that the better team won, albeit with more than a hint of fortune.

St Blazey, South Western League champions in six of the last seven seasons and regular visitors to the latter stages of this national competition, possessed a number of players with professional experience and combined class with a strict work ethic.

Their composure on the ball, distribution and link-up play were outstanding, but Sidley fulfilled the role of the underdog to a tee with some determined tackling and wholehearted commitment.

The visitors took the lead in only the 11th minute when the impressive Glynn Hooper, who was once on the books of Ipswich Town, placed a looping header over the despairing arm of United goalkeeper Peter Newstead from Justin Harrington's free kick.

St Blazey looked as if they may run away with it for much of the first half with ex-Bournemouth player Harrington and Adrian Street running the show in midfield, while Hooper and Mark Vercesi dovetailed menacingly up-front.

But Sidley, playing 4-5-1, levelled out of the blue when Jordan Wood glanced in Lewis Hole's 44th minute free kick.

Ex-Plymouth Argyle trainee Vercesi hobbled off on the stroke of half time and the visitors weren't the same following his withdrawal.

The second half was far more even and Sidley thought they had taken a 56th minute lead when Wood's left-foot shot rebounded off the base of the post and lone striker Carey slammed home the rebound only to be denied by a lineman's flag - a decision met with disbelief by many United supporters in that area of the ground.

St Blazey came on strong again in the final 20 minutes and Newstead was called into action to deny Hooper and Ian Gosling.

Sidley remained well in the hunt, though, and should have been awarded that penalty in the 87th minute. Their frustration was compounded two minutes later when Harrington volleyed home Gosling's cross.