A LAST-GASP winner from Finn Pearse saw Newton Abbot Spurs end Brixham’s perfect start in the Peninsula Premier East last night.

The Fishermen had beaten Marc Revell’s men twice already this season – most recently in Saturday’s FA Vase First Round clash at The Rec.

But having led twice at Wall Park, the Spurs weathered a late Brixham siege to clinch a hard-earned win with the last kick of the game.

The visitors hit the front with nine minutes gone when Owen Green’s low cross-cum-shot eluded Dom Aplin to settle in the bottom corner.

Aaron Wellington then saw a shot blocked for the home side before winger Ben Hopkins made a nuisance of himself for the first time – Joel Hawker-Patchett beginning a busy night in the Spurs goal by saving well.

Hopkins was handed his second chance on the half-hour when he got on the end of an inch-perfect through ball by Wellington – the speedster this time making no mistake and cooly levelling the score.

Tor Swann saw a strike initially parried and then gathered by Hawker-Patchett before the Spurs hit the front again six minutes before the break.

Striker James Moxon, who by this point was starting to cause the home defence problems, turned well and fired through Aplin from the edge of the six-yard box.

Hawker-Patchett would make the last contribution of a busy first half when he acrobatically tipped over a 20-yard strike from Mark Brooke.

Swann and Hopkins continued to ask questions of the home defence after the interval, with the latter hitting the crossbar with a cross which was subsequently cleared.

Moxon would’ve extended the travelling side’s lead just after the hour were he not denied by a superb last-man tackle.

Having got away with that one, Brixham seized the initiative when the impressive Hopkins slid an effort under Hawker-Patchett after a missed tackle in the area to restore parity for the second time.

Green saw a free header held by Aplin before it really became the Hawker-Patchett show at the other end.

The hosts were awarded a penalty six minutes from time when Sam Hancox slid in on lively substitute Tom Burt – but the Spurs stopper guessed correctly to palm away Kieran Parkin’s spot kick.

Reece Somers was then brilliantly denied twice in quick succession as an inspired display between the Spurs sticks kept the scores level.

And as Revell’s men won themselves a succession of corners in injury time – one of which finding its way onto the post – Pearse rose highest with the game’s final effort to head past Aplin and spark wild celebrations.

Revell, who was dismissed during the second half for an alleged comment to a linesman, hailed his side’s spirit in securing the win.

‘We played exceptionally for the first 25 minutes and then we let our foot off the pedal,’ he said. ‘That’s when Brixham got into it.

‘But even when we concede goals I still think the lads look like they feel like they deserve to be winning and go after the next goal. To get a second in the first half was nothing short of what I thought they deserved.

‘If Brixham had won tonight with the penalty and the chances they’d had, then it would have been a harsh but potentially fair result.

‘But that makes everything sweeter when you get the winner instead, because the lads did deserve it.

‘We felt hard-done-by on Saturday and we’ve felt that way in a few other games this season, too – Ottery St Mary away and both Torpoint and Brixham with the sendings-off.

‘If we’d won 5-2 it wouldn’t have felt as sweet as 3-2 because of the circumstances, so I’m absolutely over the moon for them.’

Man of the match Hawker-Patchett was singled out for specific praise by his boss after his match-winning effort.

‘He was brilliant and I’m absolutely buzzing for him,’ added Revell. ‘He had a niggle on Saturday, and when I have someone as good as Kit [Glanvill] I always have that back-up.

‘Kit made himself unavailable at lunchtime today, so I asked Joel if he was ready and he proved he was more than ready.

‘For a small guy in goalkeeping terms he really commands that area. He’ll save it with any part of his body.’

Having only taken over during the summer, the Spurs boss remains grounded despite how far his side have already come.

‘We’ve got to where we are now much quicker than I thought we would,’ Revell revealed. ‘We have Plymouth Marjon on Saturday and the players will need grounding after this.

‘We’ve still got another 18 months of hard work to do and perhaps another player or two needs to come in and strengthen the side.

‘But to have come this far, this quickly and to get a result of this magnitude is just desserts for how hard the players have worked for me over the past four months.’

The Spurs travel away to Plymouth Marjon this Saturday (3pm).