BUDE maintained their 100% winning start to the season at home as a dominant first-half performance put them on the way to a comfortable 47-7 victory over Pirates Amateurs at Bencoolen Meadow last Saturday.

Angus Hodges’ side flew out of the traps and scored six tries in the first-half with number eight Joe Wilson grabbing a hat-trick, while Hodges, Ed Hilliam-Cooke and winger Tim Green also went over with full-back Olly Denford notching five conversions.

After the break, the visitors came back into the contest and provided Bude with a stern test. However the home side were breached just once while Hodges went over not long after for his second try of the day.

The final 20 minutes were pretty uneventful as the home side ran out easy winners.

Talking about the performance, Hodges was delighted with what he had seen before the break, even if those standards slipped as the game went on.

Hodges said: “The first-half was really what we’re trying to put together. We played some pretty expansive rugby.

“Our possession was pretty outstanding and our efficiency around the rucks were much better.

“We went into the break very positive. We were tactically on point and we kept the ball so I couldn’t have really asked for more.

“However, in the second-half it was evident that fatigue had started to set in. We gave away needless penalties and were penalised for four or five high tackles which wasn’t good enough, and it meant that James Comber and myself were sin-binned.

“Saying that, the Pirates improved and tested our defence and again that was very solid. We’ve got confidence in that now and we’re pleased that we’re showing signs of improvement.

“Again the support was great and I was delighted with the first-half, even if the second-half was disappointing.”

Bude will take a break from league action on Saturday when they travel to Falmouth in the first round of the Cornwall Cup, and although he wants to get through, Hodges admits that the league is his priority.

Hodges said: “We may use it as a chance for players who’ve been injured to get a run-out and to give a couple of players a rest.

“It’s a bit of an experimental game for us as the league is our bread and butter.”