Saturday, February 17

GoCrea8 Hockey League

Southern Two

Sidmouth & Ottery A 1

TIMON?Chapman and Kristoff Saunders both scored hat-tricks as Bude eased past 10-man Sidmouth & Ottery A at the Budehaven Sports Centre last Saturday.

The home side went into the game on a poor run of form but were able to halt that with a clinical display against their East?Devon visitors.

Bude started the game well and took a deserved lead when Saunders finished with a reverse stick shot from the edge of the D that whistled past the keeper into the bottom corner.

Sidmouth responded well despite having only brought ten players and were back on level terms when Bude failed to clear their lines from a short corner seeing the ball agonisingly creep over the line; this was to be the visitors only glimmer of hope as Bude took control of the game passing the ball sweetly and creating numerous chances.

Timon Chapman showed his skills by slotting home his reverse stick shot to put Bude ahead and he followed up with another soon afterwards as he went poaching in around the goal to tuck home a simple loose ball from close-range.

The half-time interval came and went with Bude intent on upping their performance and goal difference, after a slow start a steady procession of goals followed as Tom Hall, Tom Fry and Saunders took the honours; ending well-worked passing team moves.

Chapman was next to score as he notched up a hat-trick with another reverse stick finish, not to be outdone, Saunders claimed a treble of his own. When Bude were awarded a penalty flick as Jordan Cunningham’s shot was stopped on the line by the defenders foot, Saunders calmly fired in.

Cunningham was really unlucky not to get on the scoresheet himself having had two other glorious opportunities denied by Sidmouth.

The icing on the cake came as captain David Woodward found himself on the edge of the D with plenty of time and space to pick his spot. He duly did by drag flicking the ball past the keeper and sending it in off the back-post to complete the rout and round off an excellent team performance.

The result leaves Bude in fifth ahead of Saturday’s trip to Exeter take on fourth-placed Isca C, who are five points better off.