BUDE Town boss Steve Hackett admitted ‘it was very satisfying to come away with the minimum of what we deserved’ after earning an excellent goalless draw at third-placed Dobwalls on Saturday in SWPL Premier West.

A five-match losing run had seen the Seasiders slip to within a point of the bottom two, but they can now head into their final games, which starts with tomorrow night’s trip to Launceston (7.30pm) before Friday night’s trip to Holsworthy (7.30pm), with a bit of momentum.

Hackett gave first starts to recent recruits Owen Pennington in defence and Joel Greening in attack, while Jamie Gorst also lined up at right wing-back having had to bide his time since joining.

The game itself saw Bude defend superbly throughout with the hosts marginally on top before the break, but after the interval Town gradually became more of an attacking threat.

Midfielder Steve Box controlled a clearance, swerved a defender and then with the keeper in no man’s land, shot wide of the right-hand post.

Sub Maximus Alvarez-Lopera flicked the ball perfectly into the path of the unmarked Callum Deemer who smashed the ball over from 15 yards, before Deemer had another opportunity couldn’t hit the target when well-placed.

Although they couldn’t get the elusive three points which would have given them even more breathing space, it meant Bude moved eight points clear of bottom side Launceston, who they were due to visit last night, and two ahead of second bottom Millbrook.

Reflecting on the game on Sunday, Hackett said: “It was a performance that was much more like it from us yesterday, we were really up for this one and put in a really workmanlike shift against decent opposition sitting in third position.

“The lads did incredibly well to soak Dobwalls up and limit them to a handful of half chances throughout the game and we should have even won it with three huge chances in the second half.

“But overall I’m really happy with the point. It was a solid, dogged team performance and some really excellent individual performances in there as well. We were organised, we played some nice football in windy conditions and it was very satisfying to come away with the minimum of what we deserved.”

Bude were far from full strength, but Hackett praised a number of fine individual performances. He said: “The defence remained solid throughout, Ewan Reeves, Owen Pennington and Fin Haste really controlled the back line, but our two real standout players were Archie Perrott who got our man of the match and his midfield partner Jake Woodland, they were both incredible.

“They dictated the game, were quick to close down and pick up the loose balls and were getting us up the pitch with their range of passing.

“Joe Edmunds was working hard up the left flank and got some really decent crosses in, and on the right flank Jamie Gorst started his first game for us and didn’t disappoint. He is a young lad, a real grafter, deserved his chance after being so patient and played well.”

BUDE TOWN: Ty Rowe; Ewan Reeves (capt), Owen Pennington, Fin Haste; Jamie Gorst, Archie Perrott, Jake Woodland, Steve Box, Joe Edmunds; Callum Deemer, Joel Greening. Subs: Steve Hackett, Liam Dart, Aaron Hart, Ryan Leverton, Maximus Alvarez-Lopera.

Seasiders’ man-of-the-match: Archie Perrott.