A RARE Brad Crocombe brace was the catalyst behind Bovey Tracey’s 6-2 win against Cullompton Rangers in the Walter C Parson League Cup on Saturday.
The midfielder was joined on the scoresheet by Ollie Aplin, Lee Hildreth, Mitch Thomas and Cal Leech as the home side booked themselves a Quarter-Final spot at Mill Marsh Park. Jake Quick and Jack Lewis hit back for Cully.
The Moorlanders were in front with barely three minutes played and it was top scorer Aplin who got the ball rolling.
Dom Aplin’s speculative ball forward was brought down by Neil Last, whose deflected delivery was latched onto and lashed home by the diminutive striker.
Ten minutes later Crocombe netted his first goal of the afternoon to make it two, timing his run perfectly from a free-kick to catch the Cullompton defence cold and fire home.
But the home side would only take a one-goal lead into the break after Quick bent his 28th-minute free-kick into the top corner.
Bovey dominate second half
Four minutes after half-time Bovey were handed an opportunity to restore their two-goal advantage when visiting keeper Luke Vernon brought down Aplin in the penalty area.
Experienced centre-half Hildreth took his time over the resulting spot-kick but made no mistake as he blasted the ball into the roof of the net.
Just after the hour mark Crocombe bagged his second and Bovey’s fourth when he caught Vernon in no man’s land and poked into the bottom corner.
The following eight minutes saw four goals become six. First Thomas tapped-in after a tidy move involving Leech, Chester Walters and Lewis Perring.
Then another bit of quick thinking from a set-piece set Leech in behind a sleeping Cully defence to get in on the act himself.
Cullompton pulled a goal back six minutes from time after the referee penalised some jostling in the box and Lewis fired home the resulting penalty – but it would prove to be no more than a consolation.
We wanted to say thank-you’ – Small
After losing heavily at Hartpury University in the FA Vase the previous week, Bovey boss Will Small was pleased with how his side bounced back.
“I think we made amends for last week slightly,” Small said. “The lads were all keen to go out there and put on a performance to say thank-you to the club for all that they do for us.
“I think from the get-go we were bright and that showed with a couple of early goals. We let them back into it with the free-kick but I don’t think we ever looked like losing the game.
“We managed it well and the lads who came on off the bench had an impact so there are lots of positives to take from that.”
With the draw being conducted shortly after full-time in the Mill Marsh Park clubhouse, Bovey didn’t have to wait long to discover their Quarter-Final opponents.
And it’s Peninsula Premier West side Liskeard Athletic, the only Cornish side left in the competition, who will visit Bovey in the next round on February 18.
Small added: “It’s nice to get someone from the ‘other side of the bridge’. They’ll be confident and they beat Brixham in the last round, so they’ll be no mugs.
“But on the flip side we’ll have the home advantage, so overall I’m really looking forward to that one.”