Callington hold on for battling win at Bude Town

MUCH-FANCIED Callington Town made it two wins from two outings with a battling 3-2 success at Bude Town on Wednesday night.

Cally fell behind inside seven minutes through Dylan Morgan before leading at the break courtesy of Fin Harrison and Alex Jacob.

Calum Courts extended the advantage with 20 minutes of normal time remaining, before the hosts set up a grandstand finish via Harry Hopcroft’s penalty.

Callington had seen off Dobwalls 4-1 four days earlier and named an unchanged side, while Bude were in action for the first time in the league this season.

The Seasiders were out of the blocks quickly and were rewarded when Harrison Swatton’s corner was flicked on and Morgan guided it past Jake Mead-Crebbin from six yards.

The hosts then took their foot off the gas, and as Cally gradually asserted themselves they levelled midway through the half. Man-of-the-match Connor Pritchard fed summer signing Dan Alford down the wing and Harrison tucked home his cross from close-range.

Home striker Billy Hopcroft drew a good save out of the keeper after a solo run, but Cally were ahead 36 minutes in when Jacob flicked in Kieran Ryall’s corner at the near post.

Hopcroft forced a fine tip over from Mead-Crebbin as the interval approached, a time home manager Steve Hackett used to inspire a turnaround.

It was all Bude after the restart as Cally were forced onto the back foot, and had a big shout for a penalty waved away on the hour when Hopcroft went down after collecting a long ball from brother Harry.

However, on 70 minutes the visitors extended their lead, Courts rifling in from inside the box after another Jacob ball in. To add insult to the home side’s predicament, Billy Hopcroft hurt his hamstring trying to get there and went off.

A fourth nearly arrived when the outstretched boot of sub Kieran Prescott couldn’t quite reach Courts’ shot towards the far post, and Bude were handed a lifeline when Jake Woodland was taken out by the left-back with Harry Hopcroft sending the penalty down the middle. But despite intense pressure and Piran Friend forcing Mead-Crebbin into a superb save at the end of eight minutes of injury-time, Callington held on.

BUDE TOWN: Leam Powell; Ruan Tape, James Wheeler, Harry Hopcroft (capt), Fin Haste; Jake Woodland, Nathan Colley, Dylan Morgan; Piran Friend, Billy Hopcroft, Harrison Swatton. Subs: John Wharton, Mason Tape, Rio Anderson, Aaron White, Harry Banks.

CALLINGTON TOWN: Jake Mead-Crebbin; George Soper, Harvey Barrett (capt), Sam Hill, Alex Jacob, Calum Courts, Dan Alford, Kieran Ryall, Elliot Haxell, Connor Pritchard, Fin Harrison. Subs: JJ Gill, Harry Southcott, Kieran Prescott, Kyle Hutchings, Ed Harrison.

Men-of-the-match: Bude Town – Harry Hopcroft; Callington Town – Connor Pritchard.