BUDE produced their best performance of the season as four first-half goals set them on their way to a convincing 5-3 victory at ECV Hornets A.

Bude were able to field a near full squad, but it was Hornets who started the better with a high press which resulted in a turnover in right midfield from which they ran unopposed into the D and fired a speculative shot to take the lead. Bude steadied themselves really well, and using good composure and excellent decision making, things began to click and the confidence grew across the whole team. The defence held the ball at the back waiting for the right opportunity and when the time was right they released it down the wings who drove purposely forward to get it to the strikers who were menacing all game. This eventually bore fruit as the returning Jon Elliot drew them level.

The following 20 minutes of the first-half saw Bude produce arguably the best sustained team performance seen over the last couple of seasons to absolutely blow away their opponents using the same simple format that brought them their first goal with captain, Jordan Cunningham firing his team into the lead with a Supermanesque goal, sliding in with perfection from which they never looked back.

Tom Fry cooly made it 3-1 from the penalty spot and then the impressive Cayden Gill notched the fourth from the top of the D with a first-time shot into the roof of the net.

With the last play of the first-half, Hornets gave themselves a glimmer of hope, pulling a goal back from a simple short corner causing much frustration to the defence. But this kept Bude on their toes and focused them on the task in hand into the second-half.

An even opening to the second 35 came with both sides creating half chances, but neither really making it count until midway through, when a Bude short corner hit the netting but was ruled out for an infringement. Bude kept probing and the chances became more frequent so it was no real surprise when Tom Hall sealed the win with an audacious gentle back hand touch that completely wrong footed the keeper and trickled in. Hornets did pull a late consolation goal back with another short corner strike but it was too little to late.

Robin Jennings and Gill shared the man-of-the-match award for dictating the tone through the middle of defence and midfield respectively.

This win brings Bude within just one point of getting out of the relegation zone and with another big winnable game this Saturday at home to Plymouth Marjon C (2.30pm), they are climbing the right way up the table.