BRIDPORT 6

CREDITON 3

Bridport treated the home fans to a nine goal thriller with James Cox helping himself to a hat trick against a Crediton United on Saturday, writes Jon Smith.

The Bees were on fire from the start as Cox robbed a defender thirty yards from goal and raced through to place his shot through United’s Ethan Chalk’s legs.

With 12 minutes on the clock, the Bees doubled their tally when Fred Parsons muscled his way past the last defender before lashing the ball home from ten yards.

Crediton were still in shock when, straight from the restart, Bridport regained possession which enabled Cox to run through and score, putting his team three up in the opening 12 minutes.

Things calmed down for a short while after that,  although Ayunga narrowly failed to convert a Luke King cross and a Riley Weedon angled shot went wide.

With 26 minutes on the clock, United’s Louis Stephens forced Bridport keeper Jordan Scadding into making a save on a breakaway.

This was only a short respite though as Bridport’s lead increased after Cox robbed a defender, crossed, and served Ayunga with a tap in from five yards out after 29 minutes.

Ayunga then forced the visiting keeper to tip an effort over the bar at full stretch, before Crediton showed some sign of life when Sam Stapleton beat the offside trap and scored following a solo run ten minutes before the break.

United started the second half on the up with Will Burwood again defeating the offside trap with a shot which Scadding slightly fumbled before gathering safely.

At the other end,  Ayunga and Weedon were foiled in the same attack as a shot from the former was knocked away, before the latter hooked the rebound wide after 51 minutes.

Eight minutes later Cox completed his hat trick with a thunderbolt from the edge of the six yard box for 5-1.

Amazingly Crediton weren’t out of it and an 80th minute shot from Lucas White was clawed away from the very top left hand side of his goal by Jordan Scadding.

In the 82nd minute Stapleton’s seemingly weak attempt found itself in the back of the net for 5-2.

A minute later the home faithful were nervously looking at their watches as substitute Connor Madge beat Scadding from range to reduce the deficit to two.

To end a dramatic afternoon of no cautions and nine goals, 71st minute substitute Bradley Rowe completed  the scoring five minutes from time with a shot from the wing for Bridport’s sixth.