Saturday, January 26

Carlsberg South West Peninsula League

Division One (West)

Bude Town 14

Ludgvan 0

HARRY Hopcroft set a new South West Peninsula League record by scoring an astonishing nine times during their 14-0 rout of bottom side Ludgvan at Broadclose Park.

The 22-year-old, who normally plays as a central midfielder and had scored four goals this term, was moved to the left of a front three on Saturday, and what transpired will go down in club folklore.

The Hurlers, have had a horrible time of things this season after losing the majority of their squad which finished second last season and in recent weeks have been on the end of 20-1 and 12-1 defeats, the first of which saw Liskeard Athletic striker James Lorenz break the league record by scoring eight.

But to their credit they have continued to fulfil their fixtures and sent a young and inexperienced side to North Cornwall.

Bude, who are struggling themselves with just five wins all season, scored twice in the opening quarter of an hour through Wes Pugh and Scott Percy before Hopcroft added his first on 18 minutes.

He then proceeded to add another two before the break before grabbing the sixth shortly after the restart.

Midfielder Tommy Statton got in on the act before he added a double for his double hat-trick.

Statton grabbed his second, before Hopcroft’s third treble took him just six minutes.

An own goal completed the rout late on.

Reflecting on the achievement, which saw all of his goals come after cutting in on to his right foot before smashing the ball into the bottom corners, Hopcroft was modest.

He said: “I feel shocked more than anything to have beaten the record, but I am also very proud of myself.

“When I scored the first three goals it was never in my mind to beat the record, it wasn’t until my fifth or sixth that I realised I could potentially do it, it then became a joke amongst our team.

“I played on the left-hand side of a front three which is out of position for me as I’m usually a central-midfielder, so the manager’s decision paid off!

“But it wasn’t the case of every shot going in, I have to give credit to the young Ludgvan goalkeeper for making five or six top saves against me.

“But most importantly I would like to mention that it was an all-round good team performance from Bude and that Ludgvan’s spirit never dropped!”