FOR their final away game of a tough campaign, Launceston made the short trip to Priory Park to face a Bodmin side who have endured serious problems of their own and done well to complete the season.

The Clarets were looking to build on Tuesday’s 1-1 Pennygillam draw against Bude, in which a second half Mike Steele penalty helped secure a point against the Seasiders.

The game opened with Bodmin making the early running as Launceston battled to get a foothold in the game.

The Clarets looked dangerous on the break but generally struggled to provide much in the way of support for striker Kian Berry.

The first clear opportunity fell to Bodmin when striker Harry Probyn controlled a deep cross on his chest before hitting a volley that beat Clarets keeper Liam Hill but rebounded to safety off the far post.

Former Claret Joe Munday posed a threat for the home team but having broken into the penalty area, was unable to make significant contact, allowing Hill to smother his effort. Sonny Dover was next to try his luck but although his half-hit effort beat the keeper, it was comfortably cleared.

Launceston had settled into the game, but without posing much of an attacking threat. On one occasion, Tom Bullock closed in on goal before play was brought back for a surprising offside decision.

As an uneventful half drew to a close, the Clarets made the breakthrough.

Bullock ran clear down the left wing and played an accurate pass to the feet of Berry. The striker looked up and tapped home from close range for his fourth goal in the last six games.

The Clarets reached half-time in front and looked to have a good opportunity to push on and clinch a rare away victory.

Sadly, those hopes lasted barely half a minute following the restart.

A long, straight ball somehow found a way through a static Launceston defence, allowing Probyn to run on and score the simplest of equalisers.

With Bodmin now on the front foot, the game increased in intensity and Munday was booked for a nasty foul on Launceston’s Ryan Dawe.

Manager Price collected an obscure booking, apparently for dissent, as the game began to slip away from the Clarets.

Munday looked offside but kept his head and finished neatly past Hill before Sonny Dover made it 3-1 to Bodmin on the hour.

Berry was penalised for dissent, earning himself a place in the sin-bin, as players from both sides became increasingly anxious in the face of some unpredictable officiating. To prove the point, Bodmin’s Tom Manual was promptly cautioned for what appeared a perfectly fair challenge.

As the game drifted away from the Clarets, Dawe was shown a red card for making the faintest contact on the escaping Probyn.

Denham Guild replaced Tom Bullock as the game moved into the final quarter. Guild was booked within minutes, before closing the scoring with a superb 22-yard drive, by some distance the best goal of an unsatisfactory afternoon which saw Launceston’s fifth consecutive Priory Park defeat and means they will finish bottom.

LAUNCESTON: Liam Hill; Ryan Dawe, Ollie Northam, Ben Harrison, Alex Parnell, Jason Hoar, Jake Ham, Jaden Wood, Kian Berry, Mike Steele (capt), Tom Bullock. Subs: Jordan Stidson, Denham Guild.

Clarets’ man-of-the-match: Mike Steele.