TEENAGER Piotr Maciejewski grabbed an injury-time winner as Camelford fought back twice on Wednesday night to secure fifth.

After a goalless first hour, the game exploded to life with the hosts scoring twice either side of Joe Parr’s equaliser.

Then, with five minutes remaining, manager Bobby Hopkinson curled in a free-kick, before 16-year-old Maciejewski tapped home from close-range.

Camelford headed to Bickland Park knowing that the hosts would overtake them into fifth in their debut season since promotion, but despite having the wind in their favour and lots of possession, were restricted to a couple of half chances before the interval.

Falmouth came out of half-time a different side and soon piled on the pressure, but initially couldn’t find a breakthrough. However, they did eventually take the lead on 66 minutes as a raid down the left saw the Camels fail to clear, allowing Kian Thomas to fire in past stand-in stopper Dan Balsdon.

On 68 minutes the visitors were level. Hopkinson introduced himself up front on the hour and after playing the ever-dangerous Liam Higgins in down the left, it was his cross that found Parr at the far post who took a touch and slotted in.

The hosts went in back front on 77 minutes when the visitors’ attempted offside trap went awry, allowing Jak Davies to go through one-on-one and beat Balsdon.

With five minutes remaining, though, Higgins was fouled on the left, five yards in from the byline and just outside of the box, and Hopkinson was able to curl the ball into the near-post.

Hopkinson was able to utilise his strength to provide the perfect platform to feed Higgins and Parr on the wings, and it was that formula which created the winner.

Hopkinson played Higgins in down the left, the ball in led to a scramble in the box, and Maciejewski made no mistake from six yards to round off a fine season for the Camels which ends with the Cornwall Senior Cup final against league rivals Penzance at St Blazey on Saturday, May 9 (2pm).

Hopkinson admitted it was a fine way to end his first year in management.

He said: “We knew that any positive result would ensure us fifth, and to be fair we dominated for long spells. We knew they were a good side who comfortably beat us at our place, and once we got it back to 2-2 I thought we just needed to see it out.

“But we’re a better side when we attack, so it’s a lot easier to do that than just hang on and defend, and for Piotr to get the winner and his first goal for the Camels was great a great moment for us and him.”

On the season itself, Hopkinson, who replaced the legendary Reg Hambly having been assistant at Liskeard Athletic, added: “I said before we started the target was the top five, so for us to get there and reach the Senior Cup final is fantastic. I messaged the boys this morning to thank them for their efforts over the season, hopefully we can round it off in the final in a couple of weeks time.”

CAMELFORD: Dan Balsdon; Sam Watts, Tom Crowe, Tom Cowling (capt), Andy Boxall; Kenley Dyson, Ross Beare, Jacob Ham; Joe Parr, Liam Higgins, Cam Bidgood. Subs: Olly Taylor, Josh Harris, Piotr Maciejewski, Bobby Hopkinson.

Camels’ man-of-the-match: Joe Parr.