BUDE’s excellent unbeaten run came to an end in controversial circumstances on Saturday as they fell to a 3-2 defeat at home to Plymouth University in Southern Two of the GoCrea8 Hockey League.

There was a cagey opening to the game with both sides creating chances as expected but Bude broke through first.

After some resolute defending, they made a swift counter-attack with Kristof Saunders passing to Charlie Falla who zigzagged across the pitch using his electric pace to outrun the defenders and round the keeper to tuck home his shot from the tightest of angles.

Falla nearly made it 2-0 not long after, but an outrageous stick save by the Plymouth keeper kept the score the same.

Bude remained solid to go in at half-time with the deserved lead. However, less than 30 seconds into the second-half the scores were level.

Plymouth pressed hard and a deflected shot was only half stopped by keeper Andy Davis, allowing the Plymouth striker to get first and slot home the rebound.

This gave Plymouth a lift and they applied some sustained pressure, which eventually told as a short corner drag flick was stopped illegally on the line by one of the defenders and a penalty flick was awarded.

Davis guessed the right way and got a decent glove to the flick but the ball managed to still squeeze into the top corner.

During the flick the Bude boys got together and refocused themselves and restarted the game with renewed vigour as they pushed hard for an equaliser; this allowed the game to really open up with more chances for both sides, which included the Plymouth striker lobbing the keeper from the edge of the D but a spectacular goal line clearance from Jordan Cunningham helped keep the home side in contention.

Bude eventually prospered as Saunders drove straight down the middle of the pitch and as he approached the D he drifted left to create an angle from where he let rip a sublime reverse stick shot that whistled past the keeper and nestled in the side netting to make it 2-2.

Plymouth kept pushing on, and from an innocuous attack they fired a ball towards goal. Davis purposely stepped over the shot, allowing the ball to go into the goal as he and the defenders were adamant the shot came from outside the D and the game would restart with a defenders hit out.

However, after a long consultation between the umpires and players from both sides, the umpire’s decision was made to award Plymouth the goal, which put them in front.

Bude tried valiantly to get something out of the game but there was just not enough time for them to fully recover from this hammer blow as they lost for the first time since the opening day of the season.

They’ll get the chance to get back to winning ways on Saturday when they make the long trip to Sidmouth and Ottery A, who are second from bottom with just two points from their opening six games.