After a close-season of unsettling rumour and counter rumour, suggestions of a mass walk-out with players being lured to cash-rich Truro City, it¹s been business as usual in the early weeks of the season.

Manager Trevor Mewton¹s satisfaction at keeping his outstanding squad together has been matched by skipper Glynn Hooper¹s determination to raise levels of fitness even higher. This manifested itself this week with a 4-2 extra time win in the Western League Cup over Penzance and then on Saturday in the First Round Qualifying of The FA Vase.

Exmouth Town were expected to be tough opponents and travelling to the Western Premier side - who are two leagues above St Blazey on The FA pyramid was a going to be significant challenge after the 120 minute test just three days earlier.

But in a match St Blazey had to come from behind to win, superior fitness was again the telling factor.

"Glyn (Hooper) is our secret weapon," said club official Martin Richards. "He¹s a PT instructor with the Prison Service, as well as an outstanding captain and player.

"We have dominated the South Western League in recent seasons and a lot of the sides we play sit back and try to absorb what we throw at them," says Richards. These teams can be hard to break down, so we apply a simple philosophy. We aim to attack for 90 minutes because we don¹t believe they can defend that long."

To say St Blazey have dominated the South Western League is an understatement. Since Mewton a sports shop owner joined them eight years ago they have won the league six times in seven seasons (the year they didn¹t they lost out on goal difference to Falmouth Town), won the South Western League Cup four times, and The Cornwall Senior Cup four times.

Last season they claimed the title with 26 wins from 32 starts and averaged over 3 goals a game.

Exmouth Town would have been confident at half time on Saturday, Darren Bingham having fired them into a 1-0 lead. But after the break it was a different story as St Blazey¹s superior fitness swung the game in their favour. Under pressure, Exmouth lost Paul Pockock to a second yellow card and Mark Vercessi gleefully hit the equaliser in the dying minutes of normal time.

There was only one side in it in extra time as Hooper headed in and Justin Harrington stroked home a brace of penalties.

Their reward in the next round is a tie at Porthleven in a match they will be odds-on to win.

St Blazey¹s league rivals Truro City overcame Launceston 3-1 in an all Cornish affair. There was little to choose between the sides at half-time with Paul Wolstencroft¹s goal being cancelled out by Launceston¹s Lee Doncaster.

But after the break the home side went into overdrive, Luke Wort and Jake Ash putting the matter beyond doubt.

There were mixed fortunes for a number of sides who boast proud histories in the competition.

Past winners Newcastle Blue Star and Stansted won 3-0 and 2-0 respectively in away ties to Yorkshire Amateur and Wootton United while Tiptree United progressed with a 2-1 win against London APSA and Epsom & Ewell beat Petersfield United 3-1.

Tow Law led against Trafford at half-time but second half substitute Phil Carratt swung it for the visitors with a rasping 25 yarder and then provided the cross which Glynn Barker flicked in for the winner.

Hoddeston Town the inaugural winners of The FA Vase in 1975 went down 1-0 at home to Yaxley while there was no fairy-tale for Guisborough Town who were well beaten, 3-1 at Winterton Rangers.

Of the 101 games played on Saturday, 367 goals were scored.

Retford United, Armthorpe Welfare, Hythe United and Pegasus Juniors all hit their opponents for six while the largest aggregate win was Pegasus Juniors¹ 6-3 victory at Pilkington XXX.

Winning sides are through to the Second Round Qualifying to be played on Saturday, 1 October.