By Andy Davis

WEST HOCKEY LEAGUE MEN’S PIRAN DIVISION ONE

Bude 4 Falmouth 1

BUDE faced Falmouth at home in their penultimate league game looking to keep the pressure on the teams above them, and did so with a hard-fought win over a feisty young side.

Falmouth had to start the game with just 7 players due to traffic issues on the travel up, so this gave the Seasiders an immediate upper hand with lots of time and space they passed the ball really well between each other and made good progress towards the D. But this is when it seemed to falter as they were unable to score and take advantage of the overload. 

Eventually Falmouth got back to full strength, but Bude kept pushing whilst they were still in a state of disarray and won a penalty corner which was executed perfectly. As the ball was sent left to Thomas Hall he then sent it back towards the goal for Kristof Saunders to run onto and deflect it past the keeper into the goal.

Just a minute later Bude doubled the lead as a turnover in the middle was pounced upon, and with the Falmouth side complaining, Bude played on as Henry Walker picked up the ball before taking a couple of steps into the D and firing a smart low shot which the keeper could only half save and the ball trickled over the line.

The visitors regrouped and had their best spell of the game as they stretched Bude and used a swift direct ball through the middle to good effect.

They gained a number of penalty corners but Bude’s man of the match goalkeeper Oscar Kirby was in fine fettle and denied them with a lovely triple save. 

The pressure kept mounting and Bude eventually cracked as a very poorly-timed tackle right as the Falmouth striker was about to shoot, illegally blocked his stick, so they were awarded a penalty flick. 

Kirby hedged his bets and went early but the visiting striker calmly found the net to make it 2-1; Bude managed to see out a nervy final five minutes of the first half with a couple more crucial saves from keeper Kirby to ensure they went in at the break still leading.

A breather and regroup was just what was needed as Bude tried to tweak things to give some stability to their play.

This worked well as the whole squad relaxed and gained some continuity and control over the game whilst Falmouth fell foul of the umpires, receiving a string of yellow cards mostly for dissent and back chat.

Bude extended the lead 13 minutes into the second half as Charles Walker did what he is best at by scoring a screamer of a reverse stick shot from an unbelievably tight angle that went high into the far top corner to the delight of the home crowd. 

Just 10 minutes later and Bude had finished off their opponents as Walker got his second with a tight tricky run through a crowded D as he made his way from the baseline back in to the penalty spot to drop his shoulder and wrong foot the keeper sending the ball into the bottom corner and sealing all three points.

Bude’s final league game this Saturday is away in Plymouth to relegation-threatened Ocean City Thirds (3.15pm) where both sides will be keen for the points which should make it an interesting finale to the season.

Bude are two points behind leaders Camborne School of Mines who have finished their campaign.

But crucially are a point adrift of Bodmin who welcome their second team.