ALEX Cole scored a hat-trick as Newquay reached the semi-finals of the Ward Williams Cornwall Senior Cup last night with a thrilling 5-3 victory over Bodmin Town at Mount Wise.

Bodmin belied their lowly status against their high-flying fellow South West Peninsula League Premier West side by putting up a real fight.

Kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes, but when the game did get underway, Newquay quickly took the lead, after six minutes, when Tom Shepherd slid the ball home from just inside the box following good work from Cole.

Cole made it 2-0 seven minutes later when Harrie Tilston raced through on goal and his shot was saved by keeper Jack Dixon, but Cole was there to tap home the rebound.

Two minutes later, Sam Eccleston pulled a goal back, but just before the half-hour mark, Tilston rounded the keeper and restored the hosts' two-goal cushion.

However, Bodmin were refusing to go away, and Eccleston got on the scoresheet again in first-half injury time to make it 3-2 at the break.

Cole found the top corner of the net for his second goal of the night after 65 minutes to give Newquay some breathing space, and two minutes after that completed his hat-trick to put the game almost out of Bodmin's reach.

The visitors did manage a third goal, through Joe Munday, but not until the 90th minute, by which point it was too late to stage a dramatic comeback.

Newquay join Falmouth Town and Liskeard Athletic in the last four.

Last night's other tie, between St Austell and Helston Athletic, was called off 45 minutes before kick-off, when the match officials deemed the pitch to be frozen and unplayable, despite the Poltair Park surface having been given the green light by a referee at a 4.30pm inspection.

That game has now been re-arranged for next Wednesday, January 17, with a 7.30pm kick-off.