PROMOTION-CHASING Liskeard moved to the top of the table for the first time this season with an emphatic victory at Callington on Wednesday night.

The Blues leapt above long time leaders Newquay by a point – having played a game more – with three games to go in the race to clinch promotion to the Western League Premier Division.

Goals came from substitute Ryan Richards (2), Dan Jennings, Max Gilbert, Darren Hicks and James Lorenz while Fin Skews was on target for the home side.

Manager Darren Gilbert said after the game: “That was as well as we have played in a long time.”

After Elliott Crawford, whose first choice team are Torpoint Athletic, smashed a left foot shot against the bar in the third minute, Liskeard swept ahead three minutes later with a quality finish from Jennings.

Receiving the ball on the left edge of the penalty area with a defender in front of him, Jennings curled a right foot shot into the far corner.

Luke Cloke should have made it 2-0 soon afterwards but he sliced his shot high and wide and he had another opportunity in the 18th minute but lifted his effort over the bar.

Liskeard were made to pay for those misses when Callington equalised five minutes later with Skews capitalising on a defensive mix-up to score from close range.

But the Blues were back in front in the 29th minute when Cloke laid the ball back on the edge of the area and Max Gilbert hammered a rocket shot into the net.

The young Callington side continued to battle hard but Liskeard established a two-goal cushion four minutes before half-time. A corner was cleared to the left edge of the area but Hicks sent a lob over keeper Jake Mead-Crebbin into the far corner.

The home side started the second half brightly but Liskeard’s grip on the game intensified and Lorenz finished off from close range after good work by Max Gilbert to make it 4-1 in the 55th minute.

What Callington didn’t really want to see was the introduction of Torpoint’s first choice strikers Richards and Curtis Damerell, but that’s what happened as Liskeard went for the kill.

A superb pass from another substitute, Macauley Thorp, set up Richards for Liskeard’s fifth after 78 minutes and he completed the rout in the dying seconds, using all of his know-how to bully a defender off the ball before hammering his shot into the net.

Liskeard now face two home games in five days against Penzance (Saturday) and Camelford (Tuesday April 8) before finishing their campaign at Millbrook on Good Friday morning, April 18.

Rivals Newquay have three successive away games – at Sticker (Saturday), St Day (Wednesday) and Penzance (Saturday April 12) – before their final game at home to Wendron United on Thursday April 17.

It’s still very much all to play for.

CALLINGTON TOWN: Jake Mead-Crebbin, Jamie Rowlands, Harvey Barrett, Kieran Ryall, Harry Southcott, Ben Langton (capt), KieranPrescott, Calum Courts, Kevin McCallion, Fin Skews, Will Elliott. Subs: JJ Gill, Adam Patterson, James Brenton, Liam Raglan.

LISKEARD ATHLETIC: Luke Gwillam, Elliott Crawford, Ben Collins, Darren Hicks, Scott Sanders, Matt Andrew (Macauley Thorp, 73), WillGilbert, James Lorenz (Curtis Damerell, 68), Luke Cloke, Dan Jennings (Ryan Richards, 58), Max Gilbert. Sub not used: Matt Outtram.