Saturday, December 1

Verde Recreo Hockey League

Southern Two

Plymouth University A 3

Bude 2

BUDE fell to a fourth defeat in five games as they lost a five-goal thriller to strugglers Plymouth University A at Lipson Community College.

An even start to the game saw both teams create early chances which neither were able to take, the flow to the whole match was disrupted a little too often by the umpires whistles and cards which were evenly distributed between both teams.

However, Bude broke the deadlock just before half-time when Adam Symonds made a sharp turn and snap shot from the top of the D that rose nicely past the keeper and into the back of the net.

Plymouth started the second-half the better and were soon level when a neat reverse strike under pressure ricocheted into the bottom corner off the Bude keeper’s pads.

An edgy nervous affair then began with both sides unable to fully control the game as they would have liked but Bude got the breakthrough as Symonds was on hand to get his second as he forced home a rebound from close range.

Plymouth responded almost immediately as poor marking let them in unopposed with the very next attack to level the scores.

As the game wore on a draw seemed a fair and inevitable result, but a hugely debatable decision from the umpires awarded Plymouth a late short corner which then hit a Bude foot resulting in second short corner and the final whistle then went which meant this would be the last play of the game and Plymouth took their opportunity slotting home at the near post to grab all three points.

Spokesperson Andy Davis said: “The result was another tough one for us to take as we know deep down we could, and should, have played better against bottom of league Plymouth, especially if we intend to take points from these potentially easier fixtures, yet there is plenty of promising play as youngster Cayden Gill had another superb match, gaining another man-of-the-match award.”

l Bude’s ladies were also in action on Saturday in the South Division of the West Clubs Women’s Hockey League but fell to a 1-0 defeat to Newquay.