A HAT-TRICK from striker Sean Finch helped Bovey Tracey record their third league win of the season in a nine-goal thriller last night (Wed).

The Moorlanders eventually ran-out 6-3 winners against Honiton Town at Mill Marsh Park, with both sides being guilty of putting in error-strewn defensive performances.

Jordan Ewing continued his rich vein of form to fire the hosts in front from distance with just three minutes on the clock.

But a mix-up at the back allowed the travelling side a route back into the game barely four minutes later, with Frank Rosenwald making no mistake.

The home side hit the front again with quarter of an hour played after Finch tapped in for his first goal of the night.

And the side’s top scorer was heavily involved in Bovey’s third. Lewis Perring found himself in acres of space down the right hand side before firing in a low cross – which Finch cleverly left for Ewing to fire home.

Almost immediately the Hippos found themselves with a chance to reduce the arrears again, when home stopper Jim Weeks went walkabout and conceded what appeared to be a soft penalty.

But Rosenwald couldn’t capitalise, blazing his wild effort over the bar and over the catch fencing behind it.

Chris Long spared his teammate’s blushes eight minutes before the break when he beat Weeks in the air to loop his header into an unguarded net.

Two minutes’ later it was visiting keeper Tom Pryke’s turn to be caught in no man’s land. The Honiton stopper was beaten to a speculative through ball by Perring, who curled an effort between the unguarded posts to give his side a 4-2 lead at the end of a breathless first half.

Five minutes after the interval, Honiton reduced the arrears yet again. Ben Ede’s free-kick from range caught out Weeks, who stayed rooted to the spot as the ball sailed into the top corner.

The nets were then given some welcome respite, as they wouldn’t be troubled again until 13 minutes from time.

Finch found himself ideally placed to capitalise on yet another goalkeeping error, firing in his second and his side’s fifth.

Substitute Jamie Orchard thudded the post in his effort to add a sixth, before Finch struck in injury time to secure the match ball with a deft chip over Pryke.

Following Saturday’s 2-1 victory away at Holsworthy, back-to-back wins see Bovey rise to 16th in the table. This Saturday, sixth-placed Elmore are set to be the visitors (3pm).