By Andy Davis

WEST HOCKEY LEAGUE MEN’S PIRAN DIVISION ONE

Devonport Services Seconds 1 Bude 5

THE Seasiders brushed aside Devonport Services Seconds with relative ease on Saturday, winning 5-1 in Plymouth.

While it wasn’t the most convincing of performances compared to recent weeks, they still took three points back with them to North Cornwall in their quest for promotion.

Bude started strongly with a solid opening first five minutes and were soon in the driving seat as a flowing attack down the right got them into the D where the ball was fired across and, after an initial save by the keeper, Saul Barraclough made no mistake determinedly forcing the ball home over the keeper from close range.

The visitors kept a steady amount of pressure on the home side and this forced them into a number of errors. Bude then capitalised with another right wing attack which was picked up by Mark Leverton who calmly swept the ball home high over a diving keeper to put clear daylight between the two sides.

The chances kept coming at a steady rate of knots but some fine saves by the home keeper kept them in the game until the 20th minute when another deadly attack down the right flank, which saw man of the match Zack Davis link up neatly with Ryan Chalkley, and as he received the ball back, Davis dropped a pinpoint cross on the penalty spot for Barraclough to control and step into space from where he pinged a nice strike through the middle of the keeper’s legs for 3-0.

A flurry of further chances came and went for Bude compared to the single shot for the home side, but neither scored in the time remaining of the first half.

The second 35-minute stanza started well for Bude as they pushed for another goal, but they were undone within five minutes of the restart as Devonport forcefully pushed their way through the middle of the pitch and scored with a low hard shot.

A tough period for Bude meant they were under pressure, but they coped well and as chances came at both ends the next goal could prove crucial.

Thankfully for the Cornishmen it was they who delivered the telling blow as Matthew Horton was in the right place to sweep home from mid-range distance to restore the three-goal cushion and dispel any hopes of a home comeback.

From here on in Bude dominated the game by producing a number of chances, but again the home keeper pulled of a string of saves including a point blank stick save low to his right from Kristof Saunders to help keep a lid on the score.

But it was Saunders who had the last say as a penalty corner routine found its way to him where he instinctively made a nice reverse sweep shot to find the far bottom corner.

With job done Bude became a little scrappy in attack but remained more solid in defence which meant the game came to a conclusion with neither side scoring and both accepting the inevitable result which probably suited both sides.

Bude can now look forward to facing relegation-threatened Duchy at home on Saturday as they continue to build towards some mouthwatering title deciding games in the coming weeks.